I am wondering why some cattails in this pond are turning brown. There is a big bunch of them all together, it is a pretty big pond. Almost all of them have recently turned brown except for some on the edges of the bunch. They also seem to be sprouting some cotton-like stuff. This is in Austin, TX. Very hot. There is a lot of life in the pond such as snakes, turtles, and ducks. Is this natural/normal? Are they dying? What causes them to change color?
Sounds like natural senescence (the browning) and fruiting (the cotton-like stuff) to me. Typha via Purdue Univ's New Crops On the other hand, if these are on the edge of a field, there is a chance you are seeing dieback from use of a herbicide. What's the pattern of brown ones to green ones (e.g., are the green ones closer to the water or further away or in a band on one side of the pond?)
Thanks for the quick reply. The pond is actually located on a business site. On one side is a park area and on the other is a small woody area, no fields. There are a few green ones lining the whole bunch, which starts right at the edge of the pond and then goes out about 10 feet into the pond. You are probably right about it being the natural browning, I just wanted to find out why they changed color and if it is normal, and I don't have any experience with this type of plant.
