5 Ways To Use Cattails For Survival
Cattails are easy to identify when they are mature.
Nothing else has those familiar cigar-like tops.
And humanity has depended upon cattails for survival since the dawn of humankind.
Thus if you are ever faced with a long-term survival situation, if you can find cattails, you can relax because cattails mean life.
Here are five reasons why.
Cattails Are Edible
According to Foraging Texas, the tubers, the shoots, the male part of the plant, and pollen are edible.
Remember, anytime you are going to eat a wild plant, make sure you know what you are eating!
Cattails Mean Water
Cattails only grow near freshwater. Thus if you find cattails, you know you have access to freshwater.
You still need to filter or boil the water to make it safe to drink but at least you know you have access to water for drinking and cooking.
Cattails Mean Access To Protein
While cattail pollen is high in protein, because cattails grow near water, you can often find fish, frogs, snakes, or possibly small game such as rabbits or squirrels.
This allows you to add variety to your diet.
Cattails Can Be Used For Shelter
You can use the stalks to create a shelter.
You can even weave them together to make baskets or fish traps.
Cattails Can Be Used For Tinder And Insulation
The fluff from cattails is also useful though it can cause skin irritation.
The fluff makes an excellent fire starter and it can also be used as insulation for an improvised sleeping pad.
If you want to learn even more survival skills check out my 5-day survival challenge.
About Mark:
I once backpacked 100 miles in 90 days. After 25 years in IT, I wanted more adventure in my life. I want to inspire you to add more adventure too.
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