Cattails blowing
Cattails, Typha domingensis; click for greater detail.
People in many parts of the world are familiar with cattails, those erect plants with long, narrow leaves that grow in marshes and along the edges of watercourses. On the morning of August 10th I ventured to Meadow Lake Park in the rapidly growing northern suburb of Austin called Round Rock, where I photographed this colony of cattails (Typha domingensis) turning brown in the drought—the same drought that had caused the lake to recede noticeably from its normal shoreline. A prairie wind was blowing in from across the lake, so I used a shutter speed of 1/500 sec. to stop the motion of the plants as they swayed back and forth. It’s easy to tell, from the leaning stalks and the waving fronds, which way the wind was blowing.
(Hey, the guy can still do a straightforward landscape if he wants to.)
For more information about cattails, you can click here and here too.
© 2011 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
I’ve never seen cattails so brown. That was a wonderfully informative link you provided. I have heard that cattails clean the water as well – doing plant magic I suppose.
You used the word prairie wind – do cattails rustle in the wind? One of the most beautiful natural sounds is the eerie rustle of prairie grass.
Dawn
August 18, 2011 at 9:15 AM
There were some greener ones not too far away, but this group was suffering. I’m pleased that you found the link informative. As for plant magic, I try to do picture magic showing some of the plant magic that can be shown.
I can’t say that I recall the sound the cattails made because it was obscured by the sound of the wind in my ears, which I do remember. I’ll try to pay attention the next time I’m in that situation.
Steve Schwartzman
August 18, 2011 at 12:16 PM
Oh I haven’t seen cattails in forever. I miss the west.
TBM
August 19, 2011 at 8:02 AM
According to the USDA, cattails are found in just about every state and province in the USA and Canada, so maybe you’ll get your chance (assuming you’re in one of those two countries).
Steve Schwartzman
August 19, 2011 at 11:16 AM
I’m in Mass now, but soon I’ll be moving to the UK. I have only seen them in the mid West. I need to pay closer attention.
TBM
August 19, 2011 at 11:19 AM
I believe they have cattails in many parts of Europe, too, so you’re in luck.
Steve Schwartzman
August 19, 2011 at 11:22 AM
I’ll try and get some photos to share!
TBM
August 19, 2011 at 11:24 AM
[…] That strategy led me on August 10th to Meadow Lake Park in Round Rock, where I photographed some drying cattails blowing in the wind. The next day I went to a pond between Parmer Lane and Center Ridge Dr. on the prairie in northeast […]
Bulrushes blowing « Portraits of Wildflowers
August 30, 2011 at 5:59 AM
[…] picture than if a colony of plants had just been standing there. An example is the photograph of cattails blowing, for which I used a shutter speed of 1/500 sec. to stop the action when the cattails were at one […]
Using Position in Wildlife Photography | NatureScapes.Net – The Resource for Nature Photographers
December 19, 2014 at 10:41 AM
Definitely not what cattails should look like in August!
tanjabrittonwriter
August 17, 2022 at 7:33 PM
No, definitely not. This year isn’t as bad as 2011 but it’s not good. The weather forecast is saying 70% chance of rain tomorrow. I hope it’s right because we haven’t had rain for two months.
Steve Schwartzman
August 17, 2022 at 9:34 PM
I hope with you that your rain will materialize!
tanjabrittonwriter
August 18, 2022 at 6:37 PM
We got some rain today, but much less than we’d hoped for.
Steve Schwartzman
August 18, 2022 at 8:34 PM
I truly hope more will follow in its wake! 🌧🌧🌧
tanjabrittonwriter
August 19, 2022 at 6:47 PM
We got a little more today, but unfortunately not as much as we’d hoped. The weather forecast indicates a good chance of some more next week.
Steve Schwartzman
August 19, 2022 at 9:26 PM
Let’s hope the forecast will prove right.
tanjabrittonwriter
August 19, 2022 at 9:45 PM