Native Plant Database

Header Photo: Mervin Wallace

Giant Cane

Arundinaria gigantea
Plant Type: Grasses / Sedges / Rushes
Native Environment: Stream Edge, Wetland
Season of Interest: Early (Feb - Apr), Mid (May - June), Late (July - frost)
Main Color: Green
Fall Color: Green

USDA PLANTS Range Map

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Bamboo with green foliage and thick jointed stems.
Photo: Mervin Wallace
Sun Exposure 
Full Sun, Medium Sun/Average Shade
Soil
Moisture
Moderate, High
Nature Attracting
Butterfly, Songbirds
Wildlife Benefit
Butterfly / Moth Host, Cover, Nesting
Animal
Resistance
Size

Height:

8 to
12
feet

Spread:

2 to
4
feet
Size
Height: 8 to
12
feet
Spread: 2 to
4
feet
Size
Height: 8 to
12
feet
Spread: 2 to
4
feet
Typical Landscape Use
Hedges, screens, and backgrounds. Good to stabilize soil and for streambank stabilization and improvement.
Establishment and Care Instructions
Mulch heavily with organic material to conserve moisture. Agressive spreader via rhizomes; to contain growth, plant in sunken pots or utilize soil barriers.
Special Features
Evergreen
Special Usage
Privacy Screen
Basic Description

Giant cane can grow in tall and dense natural “canebrakes” around water, providing cover and food for birds and other wildlife; once extensive, canebrakes have largely disappeared. Stems grow into canes (up to about 1″ thick) with distinct nodes and can be used in a multitude of ways for crafts and construction. Host plant for larvae of butterflies and moths including cobweb roadside skipper, carolina roadside skipper, reversed roadside skipper, Yehl skipper, creole pearly eye, southern pearly eye, and Crocidophora pustuliferalis snout moth.

Where Should I Start?

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Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?

Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.

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