Cattails – 9 Ways to use this Versatile Plant in a Survival Situation

Surviving in the wilderness is all about having the right knowledge to recognize and then use the opportunities nature provides. As long as preppers are able to do both, their chances of survival are dramatically elevated in virtually any environment. However, the element that comes before any of these is the process of acquiring the same knowledge. Unfortunately, it is hard to be prepared for any potential setup that might ask for survival abilities.

The same is true for all particular plants, animals and other wildlife that could be, at least in theory, useful – no one can know all the edible plants in any climate, for example. There are simply too many different factors related to any of those environments. Instead, the experienced survivalist knows that it is best to focus on things that are widely available and common across the world and its regions.

These can be labeled as crucial for a successful survival process mainly because they are very useful in a range of different roles. Among plants, cattails are the perfect example of one such thing. This simple plant can offer a range of benefits across the survival specter and with it, help anyone to stay alive. Here is a detailed explanation of survival uses for cattails and how the plant can be used successfully in a survival setup.

The Plant Overview

Cattails are just one of the numerous names of the Typha. It is a family of over 30 species of a very similar monocotyledonous which belong to the Typhaceae group. The plant can be found in many natural locations as long as it has a viable water source nearby. This is the reason why cattails are usually found near ponds, rivers, streams, and lakes. However, the plant has a complex construction consisting of its root, stalk and the upper flower sections – the last part gives the cattails that recognizable look that makes its discovery in the wilderness relatively easy. Every one of these parts can have multiple uses in a survival setup.

1. Natural Tinder

Starting a fire is the most important objective in many survival situations where heat might mean the difference between staying alive and dying of exposure. But, even in more moderate climates, fire provides protection against wildlife, a way to make food and water safe for consumption and a psychological boost. Cattails are the ideal tool to start a fire because it can act as natural tinder. The part of the plant that provides this is the cattail head, which is the brown upper part that is full of seeds.

In their ripe state, which appears during the end of the summer season, this part is incredibly combustible. A person should only break up the same head or two into bundles of material and then add a small ember to it. Here, they act as the ideal tinder and will catch fire almost immediately. While they are too flammable to provide a source of solid fuel for a prolonged fire, they will start one without any problem.

2. Improvised Torches

The flammability that makes cattails such an effective tinder makes the plant one of the natural light sources, here in the form of torches. Like pine cones, they have been used for this purpose for many hundreds of years, using nothing more than the fuel nature already added to them. Here, however, unlike with tinder, the whole plant with the stalk is used. While the seeds are on the stalk, they will catch flame but if they are lit at the upper end only, the same fire will gradually work its way down. As it does, the cattail produces a very effective light source. While the individual plant will not burn for a very long time, having a stack of a few dozen will ensure plenty of light when need be.

3. Using the Cattail Fluff for Insulation

Cattail has several ways of keeping a person warm and not all of them include combustion. A long time ago, people noticed that using the fluff inside of layers of linen makes for a great insulator. This has not changed and today, the same fluff can still be used in this way. The key thing about it is that it is always dry and ready to be used, even during rainy days. This is achieved because of the fact that the cattails head is raised up and always able to quickly dry itself.

The interior parts are equally dry because they serve the purpose of keeping the seeds dry. Taking some cattail heads and breaking them up into a mesh that is then placed between the person’s layers of clothing. The results of this stuffing process are usually amazing thanks to the airiness of the same fluff.

4. Rope-Making

The leaves of the cattail are very durable but at the same time, they keep hold of their flexibility for a prolonged period of time. This allows them to be used for creating cordage, which is not perfect by any means but works just fine as a survival tool. The weaving of cattails is time-demanding and asks for an ample supply of cattails, but can result in feet and feet of rope or cord that can be used to make a raft or anything like that essential for finding a way out of dangerous situations.

5. Basket-Weaving

The use of cattails in this regard is similar to that of the rope-making approach. In this case, the leaves are used in their entirety and not as a compressed rope. Also, unlike cord and rope, making a basket demands a bit more skill. However, in the right hands, cattail leaves are still perfectly suitable for making a range of baskets and even simple bedding mats.

6. Making Arrow Shafts

This is the simplest way to use cattails and it is still often an overlooked one. The cattail stalk is straight and sturdy, so it can be used for ideal arrow shafts with no wood carving activity necessary. To do this, a person only needs to remove the leaves and allow the central stalk to dry preferably in the sun. They will then turn brown in color and from there, only a tip of some type is needed for them to become deadly arrows for hunting small prey.

7. Building a Shelter

This application of cattails demands a huge supply of them, but it still can be done. With a simple teepee wooden frame, made from several sturdy branches, the building starts. On that frame, a person should place stacks of fully-grown cattail plants. Once the entire perimeter except the entrance is covered, the cattail shelter will be complete. Here as well, the insulation properties of the plants are clearly shown as a big benefit of the survival uses for cattails.

8. Food and Nutrition

Cattail is an edible plant and in fact, it houses as many nutrients, mainly carbohydrates, as rice or potatoes. The main edible part of the plant is, along with young cattail flowers, its root system. With enough time, the roots can even be turned into a type of starch flower and very young plants only need to have their roots peeled off and eaten raw. However, the best way to go about this is to carefully peel the outer fiber-based layer and cook the innards. This will make for a good survival meal in any circumstance.

9. Medicinal Uses

There are even health and medicine applications for cattails. Its roots can be pounded into a poultice and used for sores and burns once applied topically. The seeds of the mature plant can be used in the same manners, while young flowers of the plant can be eaten to stop diarrhea. All of these applications will be almost instantly available once a cattails patch is found in the wilderness.

Thanks to all of these survival uses for cattails and its many benefits, this plant should be one of the first things a person in a survival situation reaches for. This plan will certainly be able to help the same individual and in many cases, it could even be the key factor that allows them to survive.