Arundinaria - Bamboo, Cane Reed, Southern Cane, Switchcane

(Arundinar'ia)

DESCRIPTION:This is a group of Bamboos. They belong to the Grass family, Gramineae. They are natives to the Himalayas, North America and China. A. gigantea, commonly known as Cane, Southern Cane, Cane Reed and Switchcane, grows wild in the bogs, stream and river sides and wet lands of the southern U.S. It is a rigid perennial that grows in thick stands up to 25 feet high. Its leaves are long, slender, flexible and lanceolate. The leaves that grow from the main stems and basal shoots are shorter and sessile; those growing at the ends of the shoots are much longer and have petioles. The flowers are borne in airy clusters in the spring.

POTTING: Spring is the best time to plant these Bamboos. They should be grown in moist soil where the roots will not become dry, especially during periods of dry weather. They will flourish in light or moderately heavy loam. They can be grown in full sun but will do much better in light shade. In the spring, the oldest shoots or those with dying tops, should be completely cut out. After pruning, they should be washed off with a hose. Old plants will benefit from a top-dressing of manure once in a while. The best canes that have been cut out at pruning time can be trimmed and used as stakes for the garden.

PROPAGATION: They can be increased by division in the spring. Pieces of stem can also be set down in a propagating case in the spring to produce shoots from the joints of the canes. Many times, Bamboos die after flowering, so look for seeds on flowering plants.

VARIETIES: A. gigantea; A. tecta; A. debilis; A. flacata; A. Hookeriana; A. jaunsarensis.

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