EatTheWeeds: Episode 64: Cattails, Typha

http://www.eattheweeds.com/cattails-a-survival-dinner/

Learn about wild food with Green Deane, this time perhaps the most famous, cattails, or the Great Reed Mace, very nutritious, easy to identify, a life saver.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• bushcraft
• cat
• cattails
• edible
• foods
• Foraging
• herbs
• medicine
• o'nine
• permaculture
• plants
• raw
• survival
• wild
• wildcraft
• typha
• angustifolia
• latifolia

[NewbieCamper]

For years, I had it in the back of my mind that cattails were a survival food if the need ever arose. Then I saw a documentary about using natural methods to filter (i.e. clean) water. One of the plants used was cattail because the roots were so good at soaking up heavy metals (I think it was - or some type of pollutant in any case).

So my question is this: In today's reality of so many polluted water areas, how safe is it to keep cattails on the 'wild edibles' list? Thanks in advance!

[EatTheWeeds]

@NewbieCamper Well, that is an issue and why there is an E for environment in my ITEM system. It takes observation and judgment.

[deadheat130]

Dean, I was out foraging for mullein and came across some young cattails...in an old sand pit, near a swamp. When I pulled the middle stock and it released...there was a mucous like slime similar to that of an aloe plant, is this normal? I also decided to taste it, but spit it out, just in case....anyhow it tasted similar to cucumber, would you describe the taste along that line? Thanks in advance, love your videos, keep up the good work.

[EatTheWeeds]

@deadheat130 What you describe is normal for cattails.

[ehermes83]

Are there any methods for storing the roots?

[EatTheWeeds]

@ehermes83 Leave them in the ground.

[37butterflyprincess]

you may not be able to eat them, but the leaves are useful for weaving things like baskets.

[deadheat130]

@slqk2 I can perhaps help you with that I think. Some people are allergic to peanuts, some to strawberries, some to certain spices, etc. If you have allergic reactions to certain foods or vegetables than you may be allergic to wild edibles. Never eat an abundance of any wild edible until you test yourself to allergic reactions....especially if your susceptible to allergies from foods. But from what you describe as an symptom, you sound like you are having an allergic reaction.

[chillkill1192]

good info