Last Updated on October 8, 2022 by Real Men Sow
Typha minima is also known as the dwarf cattail or miniature cattail in cultivation. This attractive plant is a rare species that only grows in temperate Europe and Asia. It’s also a very popular ornamental plant in many aquarium gardens all over the globe.
Dwarf cattail plants are capable of filling any empty spot in a garden or house. These plants are also amazing because they can do it without any help from their owners. Then, the only responsibility you have for these plants is to recreate their natural environment. This is much simpler than you might think!
What You Need To Know About Them:
Typha minima aquatic plants are excellent marginal aquatic perennials. They can be used in tubs, small ponds and even aquaculture containers. You can also make them stand out if you plant them in large numbers.
The roots, pollen and seeds of these plants are edible. You can boil its roots and become a substitute for potatoes. The dried roots can also be ground to a powder, which can be an additional ingredient to make bread, biscuits, cakes, and thicken soups. When roasted, the seeds of Typha minima plants give off a bittersweet taste. You can also extract edible oil from the seeds to flavor and season almost anything.
Dwarf cattail Pollen is hemostatic, anticoagulant and emmenagogue. Some people use it as a traditional treatment for hemorrhage, postpartum discomfort, kidney stones, digestive problems and abscesses, menstrual cramps, injuries.
Typha Minima Features
Their leaves are a mixture of grass-like, upright, narrow, linear and long-lasting. They are typically blue-green, and turn beautiful golden brown in the autumn. Dwarf cattails bloom from mid-summer to late fall. Then, they produce tiny, cylindrical inflorescences up to 2 inches (5cm) in length.
Both male and female blooms are found in their inflorescences. The male, staminate, flowers are found on the upper part of the inflorescences. However, the pistillate, female blooms are always located on the lower portion.
Male blossoms are tiny and golden yellow. They usually disintegrate leaving only a single stem tip. When the seeds mature, the female blossoms will show up as densely packed spikes. They change color from greenish brown to rich brown. After some time, fertilized Dwarf cattail flowers bear single-seeded, nutlike fruits called achenes. To help water and wind transport their seeds, they have long, thin hairs.
How to Grow Typha Minima
Typha minima plants are great for those who already have a beautiful water garden. They can be used in conjunction with other aquatic species. These plants can be used as a great start-up if you’re just starting out. Cattails can be grown and maintained easily, provided you pay attention to their basic needs.
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun but tolerates partial shade in hot or dry areas
- Temperature: Warm, Humid Climate
There is no need to be concerned about fungal diseases or pest infestations. Dwarf cattail plants are usually carefree and will continue to live, even if they get a few intruders every now and again. You can handpick any pests that you suspect might be present on your cattail plant and leave them alone.
Planting Dwarf Cattail
Choosing a Medium
Choose a medium that will grow your plants well. The best place to plant Dwarf Cattail plants in shallow water is usually at the edge of your pond. It is a good idea to plant them in shallow water at a depth of 1 to 4 inches (22.5-10 cm), just above their crowns. You can grow them in baskets at least 4 inches (10cm) wide for one plant, or larger baskets to house multiple plants.
Dwarf cattail plants can tolerate all soil types including clay, sandy loamy, chalky, and loamy. These easy-going companions thrive in moist, boggy or muddy soils. The soil is less important if your plants are grown directly in water. They can easily get enough nutrients and moisture.
Fertilizer
Typha minima plants are independent and can survive without any fertilizer. While some growers may believe that fertilizers will make these plants more beautiful, in reality they can actually cause them to become less productive over time. After planting your plants, the only time you need to fertilize them is after they have been established. Once that happens, it’s best to forget about it. You can feed your Cattails either a liquid fertilizer or water plant food at this time, which is usually in spring.
Typha Minima Care Guide
The new spring active growth season for dwarf cattail plants will require extra attention. To prepare your plants for the spring, prune them in late winter. To make way for newer flowers to appear, you only need to remove all flower stems and leaves. Gardener, it’s that simple!
Watering Typha Minima
Dwarf cattails are one of the easiest ornamental plants to water. These plants, being aquatic species, are huge lovers of moisture. It is nearly impossible to overwater your plants, regardless of how frequently you water them.
You can forget about your dwarf cattail plants if you keep them in water. But, plants that are grown in soil may need extra watering to stay in shape. This should not be a concern! You just need to give your Cattails a good, deep soak whenever the growing medium feels dry.
Propagating Dwarf Cattail
Dwarf cattail plants can be propagated by seed sowing or rhizome division.
Seed Sowing
You can also allow the dwarf cattail plants self-seed, or you can collect the seeds and sow them. Seeds will germinate quickly and efficiently if they are given enough sunlight and water. To ensure that the soil is not too dry, sow the seeds just below the surface. Water them often to keep the substrate moist. You can transplant the seedlings into their permanent homes once they reach 6 inches (15 cm).
Rhizome Division
You can make this process more efficient by dividing your dwarf cattail plants in spring. First, get a shovel to carefully dig out the soil. You will also need to divide the rhizomes into sections. However, each section should only have one shoot (stem). After these steps have been completed, you can transfer the sections to the containers or garden and continue caring for them as normal.
