Eastern Cattail Plant Care

Eastern Cattail (Typha orientalis) belongs to the Typhaceae family within the Typha genus. Eastern Cattail is native to Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, China and the Russian Far East. Eastern Cattail is also known as Oriental Bulrush, Cumbungi.

Eastern Cattail displays a tall, emergent aquatic plant growth habit, reaching up to 6 ft tall with a spread of approximately 3 ft. Eastern Cattail produces distinctive brown, cylindrical flower spikes.

Leaf size: approximately 36 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Eastern Cattail every 1–3 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Eastern Cattail thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Typha orientalis tolerates temperatures of 50–85°F. Eastern Cattail prefers humidity levels of 70–100%. A pebble tray or humidifier helps maintain adequate moisture around the plant.

Rich, moist soil with high organic content. Good drainage is essential for Eastern Cattail to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Eastern Cattail every 2 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and rich, moist soil with high organic content. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Eastern Cattail is suited to USDA Zone 5a – 10b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Eastern Cattail can spread to about 3 ft (0.9 m) and reach about 6 ft (2 m) tall. Space plants about 3 ft (0.9 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Eastern Cattail while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Eastern Cattail is hardy down to USDA zone 5a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Eastern Cattail can be propagated through division of rhizomes, seed dispersal. Similar propagation techniques also apply to broadleaf cattail plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Eastern Cattail is susceptible to no common pests known. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Eastern Cattail grows outdoors in USDA Zone 5a – 10b. It survives winters down to planting zone 5a. Eastern Cattail is native to Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, China and the Russian Far East.