Reeds: not to be confused with reeds

Whenever you hear the word reed, do you think of totora? Oddly enough, most people do. However, there are some differences between the two, although coexistence is not unknown. Cattails are known to invade a wetland much faster than reeds, occupying large areas in a single growing season due to their massive amounts of wind-borne seeds. In the growing season, cattails are more dependent on water than reeds. Stiff-stemmed cattail usually [Scirus acutus] It is used in wetland and restoration projects. Reeds are much slower than cattails to establish and spread because they proliferate primarily through underground rhizomes rather than seeds. Reeds can handle and withstand long dry periods better than cattails. There are some notable differences between cattail and cattail, such as emergent vegetation, but a notable common feature between them is their special adaptation to carry oxygen from the air to their roots, allowing them to grow in areas of shallow but continuously flooded water. Both cattails and cattails establish quickly (although, as noted above, cattails are still slower than cattails to establish), and both can tolerate poor quality water. However, rushes tend to grow in deeper water, while cattails prefer shallower water.

Sedges are various wetland (aquatic) grasses of the genus Scirpus. They are annual or perennial plants of medium to tall height. Also known as cattail, wool grass, and rat grass, this herbaceous plant can grow up to 10 feet tall; they are found throughout North America and Eurasia.

They are divided into groups of soft stem [Scirpus validus] and hard stem [Scirpus tabernaemontani] rushes, which are in the family Cyperaceae. These two species are quite similar in appearance and share commonalities regarding the areas in which they grow. Reeds are often used in constructed wetlands to treat agricultural NPS pollution and for wetland creation and restoration. One of the plants used for this type of project is the species called giant rush, also known as ‘Restorer’. It is considered a superior plant for this, particularly in the southeastern states. Now you may be wondering: ‘What is NPS contamination and where does it come from?’ Good question!

NPS is short for ‘non-source pollution’, which comes from coal and metal mining, the photographic and textile industries, agricultural and urban areas, drainfields from failed septic tanks in homes , as well as municipal wastewater, stormwater runoff, and other land-disturbing activities. negatively impact 30-50% of America’s waterways. An affordable and efficient means of addressing and cleaning various wastewaters is constructed wetlands. For nearly 60 years, researchers have researched and reported on the use of natural or constructed wetlands and their effectiveness and ability to clean polluted water. In 1989, one such researcher named Hammer defined constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment as “an engineered and man-made complex of saturated substrates, emergent and submerged vegetation, animal life, and water that simulates natural wetlands for use and human benefits.

the bulrush [Scirpus spp] It is a species of vegetation that is grown in shallow beds or channels that contain a root medium such as sand and/or gravel that are effective in helping to regulate water flow. At the same time, biochemical reactions take place in the submerged parts of plants and within wetland soils. Oxygen is passively made available for biochemical reactions primarily by diffusion of air into the system (Rogers et al, 1991). In the United States alone, more than 56 FWS (Fish and Wildlife Service) systems process 95 million gallons per day of runoff and wastewater (Reed, 1991).

Rushes are reed-like and have long, firm leaves, three-sided olive-green stems, and drooping clusters of small, often brown, spikelets found near the tips of the stems. The bases of the stems bear a few inconspicuous leaves. The roots (or rhizomes) produce edible tubers. The tips of the rushes bloom with clusters of reddish-brown or straw-colored flowers that develop into hard, seed-like fruits during the period from April to August.

They are often found along the shorelines of marshy or marshy areas; such as wet places such as the edges of shallow lakes, ponds, swamps, fresh and brackish water marshes, moist forests, slow-moving streams, and roadside ditches. They can grow up to 10 feet in moist soil and in shallow or deep water, respectively, from 1 to 9 feet of water. Cattail is densely rhizomatous with abundant seed production.

Scirpus species are almost always found under natural conditions in wetlands. They are divided into groups of soft stem [Scirpus validus] and hard stem [Scirpus tabernaemontani] rushes, which are in the family Cyperaceae. These two species are quite similar in appearance. Soft-stemmed cattail can grow up to 10 feet and grows in dense colonies from rhizomes. Soft-stemmed cattail has a round (in cross-section), light gray-green, relatively smooth stem that comes to a point with no obvious leaves (only sheaths at the base of the stems). The flowers usually occur just below the tip of the stem, from July to September. They grow in the places mentioned in the first paragraph, where the soils are poorly drained or continuously saturated. In terms of ecological importance, soft-stemmed cattail can triple its biomass in one growing season. One area that benefits from this cattail is urban wetlands, where soft-stem cattails can be and have been used to reduce pollutant loads carried by stormwater runoff.

Hard-stemmed cattail (tule, black root) is an obligate perennial herb [restricted to a particular condition in life], robustly rhizomatous wetland plant that forms dense colonies. The stems of this cattail are erect and slender, tapered to gently triangular; typically reaching 3-10 feet tall. Also, the leaves are thin sheets that are sheathed around the long stem. The flowers are brown spikelets. The panicle may have 3 to numerous spikelets, which are oval to cylindrical in shape. The nuts are completely covered in whitish-brown scales and have 6 basal bristles. Rushes have sturdy rootstocks and long, thick, brown underground stems. [rhizomes]. Hard-stemmed cattail has a much higher tolerance to myxosaline. [water containing saline] conditions, than the soft-stemmed cattail. It logs well after removal and is fire tolerant.

The submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (eg amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi (called “detritus”) provides food for many aquatic invertebrates. Ducks and other birds consume the seeds of the sedges, while geese, muskrats and otters consume the rhizomes and first shoots. Muskrats and beavers like to use this emergent wetland vegetation for food as well as for building huts, thus improving wetland habitat.

Reeds have been and are used by many cultures for medicinal purposes, as well as

In China’s Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Zhejiang provinces, cattail is used in teas, decoctions, and extracts. Cattail is believed to be effective and is most commonly used to stop bleeding, whether from injury or an internal disorder. It is also used to treat painful menstruation and postpartum abdominal pain. Evidence has shown that cattail extracts can also reduce the amount of lipids in the blood, as well as being effective in treating colitis.

Native Americans burned the edible rhizomes (seeds), which are high in protein and very starchy, ground them into flour, mixed it with water, boiled it, and ate it as porridge. The young shoots are considered a delicacy, whether eaten raw or cooked. Cattail can be used for syrup and/or sugar, used in a salad, or eaten as a cooked vegetable. The syrup is dried to produce sugar, and the pollen can be used to make breads and cakes.

They also made a poultice from the stems to stop bleeding and treat snake bites. The roots can be processed and used in the treatment of abscesses.

Boneset tea was a folk remedy used by Native Americans and pioneers alike to treat general aches and pains. It was said to have the most effective relief for the influenza epidemics of the 19th and 20th centuries. It remains popular as an herbal tea and is used as a tonic for colds, reduces sweating, and promotes bone healing. It is the belief that it actually aids in the healing of bones that gave ‘boneset’ tea its name. Modern medical research confirms these benefits, stating that the compounds in ‘boneset tea’ stimulate the immune system.

Some Native Americans chewed cattail roots as a thirst preventative. They also used the ashes of the burned stem to put on a baby’s bleeding navel.

The stems are used to weave sturdy sleeping mats, ropes, baskets, bags, hats, skirts, sandals, curtains, temporary shelters, canoes and rafts, brooms, and other household items. The plant must grow in coarse-textured soil that is free of gravel, silt, and clay if the roots are to be used for quality basketry. The root was sought for the color black, which was desired to highlight patterns created in the making of a basket.

The benefits and uses of cattail, both ecologically, medicinally, and creatively, make it worth careful consideration for wetland planting areas and native restoration landscapes.