Survival Food Series #6 : Eat the Weed(s), Flowers and Roots! What You Can Eat From Your Own Backyard!
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Cattail # 6 Sparganiaceae and Typhaceae is the scientific name for two varieties.
The Willowy Cattail, found all over the world can almost be consumed from root to tip and is not only edible but extremely useful, as are many grasses. Many ancient and modern cultures dry and grind many roots, corms, and rhizomes, for flour. Cattail root (rhizome) is one of the highest in carbohydrates and holds its starch year round making it life sustaining. A familiar example is tapioca, which comes from cassava (but that is for another posting.)
The root of the cattail can be dried and ground into flour and the young tender stem can be used in salad or roasted in a stir fry. The long slender flower buds (while still green) can be roasted or boiled and taste like corn on the cob. My husband and I tried this a few years ago and they really did taste good. You have to harvest them in spring however as once it gets hotter they dry out. In between those growth stages however, you can collect the pollen from the bud and it is very nutritious!
Once the flower bud turns brown and dry you can even use it as a torch! I remember our counselors using cattails at sumer camp to light the way to the big campfire.
In the first few articles of this series I have focused on mostly vegetable edibles for a salad or stir fry but if you are like me, you want something like a Chicago hard roll, something a little closer to bread, comfort food:) So with the cattail it gives us both, a bit of a transition to some other roots that can be used for that purpose coming in the next articles.
Love and Peace,
Melissa
Image credits: @joearnold taken exclusively for Steemit.
Data sources:
https://www.britannica.com/plant/Poales#ref993586
University of Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_handbooks
Recipes:
http://www.offthegridnews.com/off-grid-foods/cattails-the-survival-food-thats-great-anytime/
Other articles in this series if you would like to catch up!
Love and Peace,
Melissa
Wow @joearnold who knew....interesting things that you learn everyday :) :) Kayleigh
Thank you for reviewing and commenting!
Love and Peace!
:) :)
My husband and I spent several years learning how to forage, whether in the wild or from our own backyard. Plants that no one else would know you can eat. We have enjoyed the journey!
That sounds great and sometimes when I think about the direction that this world is going ...that can be some lifesaving knowlage to have :) :)
Nice post! I had no idea how many of those plants were edible! Followed your from over at #minnowsfaucet
My husband and I spent several years learning how to forage, whether in the wild or from our own backyard. Plants that no one else would know you can eat. We have enjoyed the journey! No need to stock pile as God has given us all we need within walking distance. :)