Why is cotton grass important?
Uses. The cotton grass in Tundra is food for the migrating caribou and snow geese. They also provide food to the large heath butterfly as well as the black grouse. The seed heads are used as wicks in oil lamps by the Inuit of the Inuktitut.
Is cotton grass a grass?
Do not be fooled by the common name of Eriophorum angustifolium, Narrow-leaved Cotton Grass, because it is a member of the sedge family; technically, not a grass at all. It’s from the fluffy, cotton-like flower and seed head that the very recognizable plant gets its name.
Where do you find cotton grass?
Eriophorum (cottongrass, cotton-grass or cottonsedge) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cyperaceae, the sedge family. They are found throughout the arctic, subarctic, and temperate portions of the Northern Hemisphere in acid bog habitats, being particularly abundant in Arctic tundra regions.
What is the scientific name of cotton grass?
Eriophorum
Eriophorum/Scientific names
How is cotton grass used?
It has been used in the production of candle wicks and paper in Germany. In Scotland, Cottongrass was used to dress wounds during First World War. Cottongrass seeds and stems are edible and are used in traditional Native American cuisine by Alaska natives, Inupiat people and Inuit.
What are the adaptations of cotton grass?
Cotton grass – this grass has small seeds that can easily be dispersed by the wind to ensure its survival. It is low lying to protect it from cold winds and has thin leaves to reduce water loss by transpiration. Cotton grass grows and produces seeds quickly as soon as the temperature increases.
Does cotton grass make cotton?
It is a slender creeping grass with flat leaf blades that bear rough margins. The plant is riparian and can even grow in up to 2 inches of water. Flowers are at the terminal ends of stalks and appear as fluffy balls of cotton – hence the common name.
Can you spin cotton grass?
The seed heads of cotton grass would when dried serve a wicks. Although people attempted to spinning with cotton grass it was never viable as the fibre lacks a natural twist which made the process hugely time consuming and expensive.
What is cotton flower?
Cotton is not a flower, in fact, it is more akin to a dandelion. After about 100 days, cotton bolls begin to fill and open up where the flowers once were. Each boll contains about 32 immature seeds from which cotton fibers will begin to grow. The boll itself is actually considered a fruit because it contains seeds.
What animal eats cotton grass?
The Arctic cotton grass is a food source for migrating snow geese. They are also eaten by caribou calves.
How do you grow cotton grass?
It is best to grow Cotton grass from seed in their final location; simply sow the seeds on the surface at about 40 cm apart. Cotton grass likes to grow in moist acidic soil. It is best to plant Eriophorum species in the first couple of months of spring so as to flower in summer.
What is bog cotton used for?
It was used as a feather substitute in stuffing a pillow or other clothes. Sheep, cattle, and geese are also partial to it tender stem and in harder times it came in handy as a fodder supplement. Bog Cotton mixed with 25% wool or cotton made a fabric that was used in the manufacture of cloth, carpets, and roofing felt.