i went to pinch off the tip of this cattail, so i could get a close up of the inside, and the whole head erupted on me.  cattail fluff everywhere. i mean everywhere. even the dog was sneezing. it was like bumping a pan of water that is just about to boil, and it bursts into a sputtering volcano. i shot this photo before i dared go any further, and while my vacuum cleaner still had a fighting chance at containment.

exploded cattail head in winter

from my yard, saint paul, minnesota