A tall marsh plant with long leaves and a distinctive dark brown, fuzzy flower spike that looks like a cat's tail, commonly found in wetlands.
English compound word from 'cat' + 'tail,' named in the 1500s-1600s because the fluffy seed head genuinely resembles a cat's tail. The plant has been used by humans for thousands of years for food and materials.
Cattails are survival superstars—Native Americans and pioneers ate their roots, wove their leaves into baskets, and used them for fuel. One plant can produce 250,000 seeds, making it nearly impossible to eradicate from wetlands!
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