Other Common Names:  Cat-O'-Nine-Tails, Common Cattail

A North American native occurring in marshes, swamps and wetlands, the Broadleaf Cattail is an aquatic perennial plant that is great for use in pots in the garden pond or in the margins of lakes and ponds where it creeps to form dense colonies in shallow water of up to 12 inch depth. The plant features narrow, upright, sword-like green leaves up to 7 feet tall and a very sturdy flower stalk that typically rises to about the same height but occasionally up to 10 feet. Mid summer brings the unusual orangish to brown cylindrical "cattail" spikes that are up to 9 inches long and persist until early winter. Cattails are highly valued for both fresh and dried flower arrangements and larger stands serve as important nesting areas and cover for birds and other wildlife.