Giant Cane
Arundinaria gigantea
- Native to:
- United States
kent (www.inaturalist.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Arundinaria
- Species:
- Arundinaria gigantea
- USDA Symbol:
- ARGI
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid , Shrub , Subshrub
- Height:
- 800 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Evergreen Shrub:
- Yes
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Carolina Roadside Skipper (Amblyscirtes carolina), Creole Pearly-eye (Enodia creola), Lace-winged Roadside Skipper (Amblyscirtes aesculapius), Northern Pearly-Eye (Enodia portlandia), reversed roadside skipper (Amblyscirtes reversa)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Butterflies:Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius), Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola), Southern Pearly (Lethe portlandia)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, shelter
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes after fire or cutting. Fire helps maintain canebrakes by reducing woody competition and stimulating new culm growth.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.0 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in floodplains and riverbanks
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds have low viability and germination rates; vegetative propagation via rhizome division is more reliable. Fresh seed germinates better than stored seed.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: None required
Establishment: Giant cane is found from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Oklahoma to North Carolina, Florida and Texas; mostly above the coastal plain. It forms dense stands in low and swampy woods, moist meadows and along river banks. Vegetative propagule collection is from south central Missouri.
Source: npn.rngr.net