Landscape Uses:
	Water gardens and along pond and lake edges.
Ecological Restoration Notes:
Availability:
	Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description:
	Large herb.
Height:
	About 6-9 feet in height. Spreading from underground stems (rhizomes) and forming extensive colonies.
Growth Rate:
	Moderate.
Range:
	Widespread in North America south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland; West Indies, Mexico and Central America.
Habitats:
	Freshwater marshes.
Soils:
	Wet, poorly-drained organic soils.
Nutritional Requirements:
	High; requires rich organic soils for optimal growth.
Salt Water Tolerance:
	Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
	Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance:
	Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements:
	Full sun.
Flower Color:
	Brown.
Flower Characteristics:
	Semi-showy inflorescence.
Flowering Season:
	Spring-summer.
Fruit:
	An aggregate of minute achenes comprises the "cattail."
Wildlife and Ecology:
Horticultural Notes:
	Can be grown from seed and division.
Comments: