Practical
Plants

Typha angustifolia

Small Reed Mace

a perennial member of the Typha genus in the family Typhaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Typhaceae
Genus
Typha
Life cycle
perennial
Height
3 m
Spread
3 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Roots - raw or cooked[4][5][18][24]. They can be boiled and eaten like potatoes or macerated and then boiled to yield a sweet syrup[10]. The roots can also be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereal flours[21]. Rich in protein, this powder is used to make biscuits etc[10]. Young shoots in spring - raw or cooked[11][4][24][6][10]. An asparagus substitute[21]. Base of mature stem - raw or cooked[21]. It is best to remove the outer part of the stem[21]. Young flowering stem - raw, cooked or made into a soup[22][24][10]. It tastes like sweet corn. Seed - cooked[10]. The seed is very small and fiddly to harvest, but it has a pleasant nutty taste when roasted[4]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed[22]. Due to the small size of the seed this is probably not a very worthwhile crop. Pollen - raw or cooked. A protein rich additive to flour used in making bread, porridge etc[4][2][10]. It can also be eaten with the young flowers[22], which makes it considerably easier to utilize[K]. 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[23]. This will help to pollinate the plant and thereby ensure that both pollen and seeds can be harvested[K].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Oil
Plant part
Pollen
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Seed
Plant part
Stem

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The pollen is diuretic, emmenagogue and haemostatic[9]. The dried pollen is said to be anticoagulant, but when roasted with charcoal it becomes haemostatic[15]. It is used internally in the treatment of kidney stones, internal haemorrhage of almost any kind, painful menstruation, abnormal uterine bleeding, post-partum pains, abscesses and cancer of the lymphatic system[14][15][16]. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women[15]. Externally, it is used in the treatment of tapeworms, diarrhoea and injuries[15]. An infusion of the root has been used in the treatment of gravel[17].

Product or use
Anticoagulant
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Lithontripic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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[5][18][19][20][24]. 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[18][19][6]. They have good insulating and buoyancy properties[8]. The female flowers make an excellent tinder and can be lit from the spark of a flint[13]. The pollen is highly inflammable and is used in making fireworks[3]. This plants extensive root system makes it very good for stabilizing wet banks of rivers, lakes etc[12].

Product or use
Biomass
Product or use
Insulation
Product or use
Paper
Product or use
Stuffing
Product or use
Thatching
Product or use
Tinder
Product or use
Weaving

Environment

Range
Throughout the world from the Arctic to latitude 30° S, including Britain but absent from Africa.
Habitat
Water up to 15cm deep, avoiding acid conditions[7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
aquatic
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A very easily grown plant, it grows in boggy pond margins or in shallow water up to 15cm deep[7]. It requires a rich soil if it is to do well[7]. Succeeds in sun or part shade. A very invasive plant spreading freely at the roots when in a suitable site, it is not suitable for growing in small areas. Unless restrained by some means, such as a large bottomless container, the plant will soon completely take over a site and will grow into the pond, gradually filling it in. This species will often form an almost complete monoculture in boggy soil. The dense growth provides excellent cover for water fowl[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

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  4. Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-7971-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  5. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩1↩2

  6. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩1↩2

  7. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩

  9. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

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  10. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  11. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  12. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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  13. Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers The Riverside Press 1963-00-00 ISBN 63-7093

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  14. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩

  15. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  16. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

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  17. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

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  18. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  19. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩1↩2

  20. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  21. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  22. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  23. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

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  24. Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co. 1962-00-00 ISBN 0-911010-54-8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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