In the fall, cattails send energy down to their shallow rhizomes, producing an excellent source of food starch. The ribbonlike leaves die, but the brown flower heads stand tall. They may look as dense as a corn dog, but give them a pinch and thousands of seeds explode into the air.

How do I stop my cattails from exploding?

Preserving cattails is very similar to drying flowers. All you need to do is hang the stems upside down, allow them to air-dry, and apply a hairspray (the cheaper the better!), or a clear lacquer.

Do cattails burst open?

The seeds of the cattail explode when they are ready to carpet the earth, with only a tiny bit of nudging.

latifolia” definition: a tall marsh plant with cylindrical seed heads that explode when mature shedding large quantities of down.)