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.
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
At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data

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
Where Should I Start?
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What’s the Next Step?
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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.