Observations on the Poisonous Plants of Michigan

Typha (Cattail) Invasion in North American Wetlands: Biology, Regional Problems, Impacts, Ecosystem Services, and Management

“…Typha provides low quality forage in terms of nutrient content and palatability (Timmons et al 1963;Kirby et al 2002). Although generally edible, a few cases have implicated Typha in poisoning horses (Kingsbury 1964), cattle (Hurst 1942), and humans (Woodcock 1925). Large stands of Typha can harbor increased disease vectors, such as mosquitoes, snails and parasitic worms, potentially putting livestock and humans at greater disease risk (Cantrell 1981;Cogels et al 1997;Pfukenyi et al 2005;Pope et al 2005;Salako et al 2016).…”

THE BIOLOGY OF CANADIAN WEEDS.: 73. Typha latifolia L., Typha angustifolia L. and Typha xglauca Godr.

“…Despite the extensive evidence for ecotypes from common garden studies, analyses of electrophoretic variation within T. latifolia have not always revealed significant amounts of variation (Mashburn et al 1978 (Morton 1975 (Fletcher and Elmendorf 1955;Hallock 1973 (Hurst 1912). Woodcock (1925) mentioned that the ground-up stems and rhizomes of T. latfolia "in some instances has proved poisonous to people";Pammell (1911) also reported "the cattail" (species unidentified) as poisonous.…”

Common Cattail,Typha latifoliaL.1

“…Although common cattail has been reported as potentially poisonous to humans or livestock, it is generally considered edible (Harris 1971). However the ground-up stem and rhizomes of common cattail ''in some instances have proved poisonous to people'' (Woodcock 1925). It has been suspected in a case in which several horses were fatally poisoned in Indiana (Kingsbury 1964).…”