When to Harvest Cattail Pollen?

If you have access to a large cattail marsh, start watching it carefully in mid-June. When a gentle tap to the cattail stalk releases a cloud of yellow dust, it is time to gather. Do not delay, especially if there is rain or wind in the forecast. They will wash and blow your harvest away.

How do you collect cattail pollen?

Take a plastic bag and a pair of scissors into the cattail stand. Carefully bend the flower into the bag, and cut it off. Collect as many pollen-loaded flower heads as you can. Take them home, and let them sit undisturbed for a day.

What can you do with cattail pollen?

The cattail pollen is a great source of protein. The female flower is green prior to pollination and at this juncture can be harvested, cooked and eaten with butter, sort of a marsh corn on the cob. The green flowers can also be used in soups or frittatas or even made into cattail flower refrigerator pickles.