Cattails (Typha latifolia) have broad linear leaf blades with dense brown spike at the top. Cattails are great filter plants in a 
bog, stream or pond and are hardy to zone 3.
Common Names: Cattail, Broadleaf cattail, Common cat-tail, broad-leaf cat-tail
Scientific Name: Typha latifolia
Sun Tolerance: Cattails do well in full sun to part shade.
Planting Depth: Cattails can be planted in moist soil or up to 24 inches of water.
Height of Plant: Cattails can reach up to 4 feet.
Bloom color and time of year: Brown cylinder of flowers in the spring look unique in dried flower arrangements.
Native Status: Cattails are native to North America.
Benefit: Cattail is a rich source of food for birds, frogs, mammals and hungry gardeners who miss lunch. Cattails also provide habitat and nesting sites for wildlife. Cattails take up a lot of nutrients out of the water, so much so that they are often planted in effluent streams of waste water treatment plants.
Care: We recommend cutting the plants down in the fall to eliminate as much plant material that would otherwise decay at the bottom of the pond and creates a healthier environment for your fish over the winter. If used in water gardens or backyard koi ponds grow the plants in a container to keep them from taking over your pond edge.