The broad-leaved cattail is a plant worthy of protection

The broad-leaved cattail only at first glance seems to ignorant people as an uninteresting and useless plant. Someone in everyday life calls him cane, someone - reed. Both are wrong. Despite the fact that the broadleaf cattail is adjacent to both and the other plant in the swamp, but they are not relatives. This family is isolated. It refers only to one genus, in which only twenty species developed, and the broadleaf cattail in it is the most common.

On any river backwater, along the shores of a lake or on a wet watery marsh, it forms dense thickets with strong elastic leaves very pliable at bending, stretching to three meters in length. Neither the downpour nor the storm will ever bend and put it on the water. Only grown old and dried up parts himself falls on the water cattail. The photo attached to this article perfectly demonstrates its appearance. Remember it, not to be confused with other, very similar plants.

Rhizome rhizome - powerful, but on the edges of the tender, covered with scales. Their thickness is in the human hand. It clings tightly to the ground in the water, so it is very difficult to get the plant out. In the root there is as much starch as in potatoes. This is used by animals and many peoples. For example, people who live in the Caucasus bake it perfectly, getting a dish that resembles beans. On his nutritional properties in ancient times, wrote Theophrastus. Only inexperienced modern urban residents should not be flattered about this. On the water grow broad-leaved plants resembling cattails, the rhizomes of which can be poisonous. Only if you are sure that this plant is in front of you, use it for food. Everyone likes his inflorescences. These are cylinders of dark brown color of centimeters under thirty in length.

Rogoza is an ancient and valuable plant for economic needs. Until now, in Ukrainian villages there are houses covered by it. The roofs under it are warm, waterproof, they stand already for a hundred and fifty years. And its traces paleontologists find in the deepest geological strata, belonging to the very ancient Historical epochs. Many generations of people wove mats and household utensils from their leaves, received fibers from which they produced coarse cloth, second-rate paper. In the early days, shepherds and strangers walked in waterproof raincoats from the cattail. Peasants stuffed fluff, obtained from inflorescences, pillows. And the most fashionable felt hats are obtained only thanks to the fact that this wonderful plant fluff is mixed with wool.

Marine life jackets are sewn on the same basis. He has such a remarkable buoyancy that in order to keep the human body afloat, only 1 kg of 220 g of fluff from the inflorescences of the cattail is sufficient. As for the production of cotton wool, in the early ages there was no better material. According to its physical properties, it is a soft, sterile material with absorbing abilities, which military physicians have used for a long time.

Very valuable crockery among winemakers. With a sheet they caulk the caskets and barrels. Ropes from it are tied up with vines, that's why they call it berg grass. And what ropes in the old days from him!