Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to do any field research this weekend in order to continue my series The Tale of the Cattail.
However, I did run across another blog that focuses on one of the non-edible uses for cattails: making pillows with cattail seed fluff for stuffing. It’s the International Secret Society Of People Who Sleep With Cattail Pillows. They declare their purpose to be “connect[ing] people who harvest their own cattails for pillows and to spark interest of this useful plant to new generations.”
There doesn’t seem to be much blog activity, but the static pages hold some good information including a nicely done 13 minute video that shows the “society” harvesting cattail seed heads to make pillows.
Posted by Jacqueline on 11/03/2011 at 6:06 pm
Ha! What a great use for cattails, especially for the nasty hybridized ones that take over the natural environment. Currently working on promoting some restoration at a local bog in NW Indiana that focuses extensively on eliminating exotic cattail species.