Typha glauca -

Family:	Typhaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	3
Synonyms:
Range:	Eastern N. America.

Typha glauca () is a Perennial which grows to a height of 3m . It has a hardness rating of 0.
The flowers from this plant are monoecious (both sexes are found on the plant but each flower is either male or female) and they are pollinated by Wind

Soil Information

Typha glauca will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Typha glauca prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Typha glauca should not be planted in shady areas.

Shallow water[43].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Is a pond plant
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Grows in boggy pond margins or shallow water to 15cm deep[1, 200]. Requires a rich wet soil if it is to well[200]. Succeeds in sun or part shade[200]. Plants can be very invasive, spreading freely at the roots when in a suitable site[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 4/5
Roots - raw or cooked. Rich in starch, they can be boiled and eaten like potatoes or macerated and then boiled to yield a sweet syrup[172]. The root can also be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereal flours. Rich in protein, this flour is used to make biscuits, bread, cakes etc. Young shoots in spring - raw or cooked. An asparagus substitute. They are peeled before being eaten[172] Base of mature stem - raw or cooked. It is best to remove the outer part of the stem. Young flowering stem - raw, cooked or made into a soup. Tastes like sweet corn[172]. Seed - cooked. The seed is rather small and fiddly to utilize, but has a pleasant nutty taste when roasted. An edible oil is obtained from the seed. Due to the small size of the seed this is probably not a very worthwhile crop. Pollen - raw or cooked[172]. A protein rich additive to flour used in making bread, porridge etc[183]. It can also be eaten with the young flowers, which makes it considerably easier to utilize. The pollen can be harvested by placing the flowering stem over a wide but shallow container and then gently tapping the stem and brushing the pollen off with a fine brush[9]. This will help to pollinate the plant and thereby ensure that both pollen and seeds can be harvested[K].

• Flowers -
• Leaves -
• Oil -
• Pollen -
• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
• Seed - includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
• Stem - this often intergrades into leaves.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 0/5
None known

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in a pot and stand it in 3cm of water. Pot up the young seedlings as soon as possible and, as the plants develop, increase the depth of water. Plant out in summer. Division in spring. Very easy, harvest the young shoots when they are about 10 - 30cm tall, making sure there is at least some root attached, and plant them out into their permanent positions.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

The stems and leaves have many uses, they make a good thatch, can be used in making paper, can be woven into mats, chairs, hats etc. They are a good source of biomass, making an excellent addition to the compost heap or used as a source of fuel etc. The hairs of the fruits are used for stuffing pillows etc. They have good insulating and buoyancy properties. The pollen is highly inflammable and is used in making fireworks. This plants extensive root system makes it very good for stabilizing wet banks of rivers, lakes etc.

• Biomass - Provides a large quantity of plant material that can be converted into fuel etc.
• Insulation - Providing insulation against extremes of temperature, sound or electricity.
• Miscellany - A rag-bag of items that are difficult to categorise.
• Paper - Related to the entry for Fibre, these plants have been specifically mentioned for paper making.
• Soil stabilization - Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.
• Stuffing - Used in making soft toys, mattresses, pillows etc.
• Thatching - Used for making thatched roofs.
• Weaving - Items such as grass and palm leaves that are woven together for making mats, baskets etc. See also Basket making and Fibre.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
F. Chittendon.
Author: F. Chittendon.
Rating:
Publisher : Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
Date of Publication : 1951

Gray's Manual of Botany.
Fernald. M. L.
Author: Fernald. M. L.
Rating:
Publisher : A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
Date of Publication : 1950

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