(Arundinaria gigantea)
The Grass Family (Poaceae)
Tall, perennial grass, also called River Cane, with alternate, lance-shaped, evergreen leaves and woody, green, segmented stems.
Habitat:
River banks, damp woods and bogs.
Interesting Facts:
Only bamboo native to the U.S. found in dense thickets (canebrakes). Used for making fishing poles, baskets, mats and was a valuable building material for southern Native American tribes. Young shoots edible, seeds used as flour, and root extract used for kidney ailments. Host to the Southern Pearly-eye Butterfly.
Fruit:
A single dry seed (a caryopsis) maturing in spring; plant dies after fruiting.
Flower:
Green spikelets, 1.5 to 2.5”, scaly, on long slender stalks; blooms sporadically in the spring.
Wildlife value:
Vital cover for large and small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects. Used as nesting material by birds; seeds and shoots eaten by mammals and birds.
Seeds
Leaf type:
Simple
Pollinator:
Wildlife value:
Tree dimensions:
Leaf length: 3.00-12.00 inches
Tree height: 3.00-30.00 feet
Where to find Giant Cane on the Louisiana State Arboretum Trails:
TER - Walker Terrace 20.0
WAB - Walker Branch Trail 3.0
Refer to our Live Map to locate this species and its interpretative signage on the trail system.