Nov 22, 2025
Eriophorum, commonly known as cottongrass, isn't actually a grass at all - it's in the sedge family, Cyperaceae! It's found in the Northern Hemisphere from northern temperate areas into the Arctic. It prefers to live near water, and accordingly, these were found by South Fork Campbell Creek in Chugach State Park, Alaska. The pretty white bristles that attach to the seeds enable them to disperse on the wind and help give them some insulation in their cold habitats.
Despite its name, it's apparently too fragile to be spun like cotton, at least according to one spinner who tried, but historically it was used for small candle wicks and possibly as a medicinal plant and for stuffing.
