Practical
Plants

Arundinaria gigantea

Cane Reed

a member of the Arundinaria genus in the family Gramineae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
9 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

Young shoots - cooked[3][13][19][2][8]. Used as a pot-herb[15]. Seed - cooked[19][20][6]. It can be used as a wheat substitute[10][2], for which it is not much inferior[12], but it is rather small and difficult to collect in quantity[5]. The plants only flower at irregular intervals of several years.

Plant part
Seed
Product or use
Cooked

Seed - cooked[32][33][24]. It can be used as a wheat substitute[27][21], for which it is not much inferior[28], but it is rather small and difficult to collect in quantity[23]. The plants only flower at irregular intervals of several years.

Plant part
Shoots
Product or use
Cooked

Young shoots - cooked[22][29][32][21][26]. Used as a pot-herb[30].

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The root is cathartic. A decoction has been used to stimulate the kidneys and 'renew strength'[17].

Plant part
Root
Product or use
Cathartic

The root is cathartic. A decoction has been used to stimulate the kidneys and 'renew strength'[31].

Material uses

The canes are used as pipe-stems, are woven into baskets and mats plus a variety of other purposes[7][15]. The hollow stems can be made into flutes[17].

Plant part
Canes
Product or use
Basketry, Weaving

The canes are used as pipe-stems, are woven into baskets and mats plus a variety of other purposes[25][30].

Plant part
Stems
Product or use
Musical

The hollow stems can be made into flutes[31].

Environment

Range
Southeastern N. America - Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Oklahoma to North Carolina, Florida and Texas.
Habitat
Forms dense thickets along riverbanks, in swamps and low woods[18][14]. Found on all types of soil from sea level to 600 metres[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - surface sow as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse at about 20°c. Do not allow the compost to dry out. Germination usually takes place fairly quickly so long as the seed is of good quality, though it can take 3 - 6 months. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a lightly shaded place in the greenhouse until large enough to plant out. Bamboos only flower at intervals of several years and so seed is rarely available. Division in late spring as new growth commences. Take divisions with at least three canes in the clump, trying to cause as little root disturbance to the main plant as possible. Grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse in pots of a high fertility sandy medium. Mist the foliage regularly until plants are established. Plant them out into their permanent positions when a good root system has developed, which can take a year or more[11]. Rhizome cuttings. Basal cane cuttings.

Cultivation

Prefers an open loam of fair quality and a position sheltered from cold drying winds[1][3][16]. Succeeds on peaty soils. Requires abundant moisture and plenty of organic matter in the soil. Plants are intolerant of drought[1]. Succeeds in full sun or dappled shade in warm, humid, damp conditions[11]. Some reports say that this plant is only hardy in S.W. England[1][3][16] though another report says that the roots are hardy to about -30°c if they are heavily mulched[7]. This plant used to form very extensive stands in much of south-eastern N. America, but it provides a nutritious forage and is very easily destroyed by the continuous grazing of cattle or the rooting of pigs and so has been greatly reduced in the wild[15]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[11]. Plants only flower at intervals of many years. When they do come into flower most of the plants energies are directed into producing seed and consequently the plant is severely weakened. They sometimes die after flowering, but if left alone they will usually recover though they will look very poorly for a few years. If fed with artificial NPK fertilizers at this time the plants are more likely to die[4]. The rootstock is running, forming new shoots from late May[16].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 1. 1979 - 1980. Royal Horticultural Society 1979-00-00

    ↩

  5. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩

  6. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

  7. Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.

    ↩1↩2

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  9. Farrelly. D. The Book of Bamboo Sierra Club. 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-87156-825-X

    ↩

  10. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  11. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩

  13. Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods.

    ↩

  14. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

  15. Hitchcock. A. S. Manual of the Grasses of the United States Dover Publications. New York. 1971-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22717-0

    ↩1↩2↩3

  16. Lawson. Bamboos. Faber 1968-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  17. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2

  18. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  19. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  20. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  21. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2

  22. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  23. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press ISBN 0-253-28925-4 (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  24. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture. ()

    ↩

  25. Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden. ()

    ↩

  26. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  27. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  28. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books ISBN 0-449-90589-6 (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  29. Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods. ()

    ↩

  30. Hitchcock. A. S. Manual of the Grasses of the United States Dover Publications. New York. ISBN 0-486-22717-0 (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2

  31. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2

  32. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2

  33. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (32202/01/01)

    ↩

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