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What do Cattails Need?

14 years ago

Hi CityBounty has a bed that we are maintaining and it appears to be standing in water at least part of the year but is dry at the moment. I transplanted a small cattail in hopes of getting some started here. I would like it to be cattails and mint but the little guy isn't doing so well. Slowly turning brown and not growing anything new. I am afraid that it needs standing water to be happy, but it was high up on the bank where I took it from and so I thought it would do ok without wet feet.

Any input would be great!

Thanks,

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Comment (1)

terrestrial_man
14 years ago
Transplanting of cattails is best done in early spring just when you see new growth coming out of the ground.
Be sure you dig down deep and get as much root as possible.
Also you will have to cut the rhizome that is coming in from the parent plant as they spread by rhizome. The plants can handle being flooded but do quite well with the tops out of the water but with the soil they are in being wet. Because of their fleshy rhizome they can handle some dryness during part of the year and will come back as such periods appear to be related to a resting period for them.
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