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| Arundinaria Giantea Cane | October 23, 2009, 12:00 am | visits: 8 | wordcount: 497
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By Tammy Sons
Arundinaria Giantea Cane is also called cane or switchcane. It is a giant cane the is known for providing summer grazing for cattle, hogs, sheep, and horses in the northern ranges and the winter grazing along the gulf coast in the states. The stems of the grassy plant are often used for pipe stems, baskets, mats, and fishing poles.
The stalks of the Arundinaria Giantea Cane are dried and stripped into long lengths to create the material for the mats and baskets. The Native Americans used the woven baskets for carrying plants and crops. The ancient techniques are still used currently as a treasure of the almost lost basket weaving styles.
The cane of the plant used for fishing poles were sturdy and flexible allowing for extended uses and long lasting fishing equipment. Similar to the modern day cane poles, the Arundinaria Giantea Cane fishing poles were used by pioneers when in the wilderness.
The plant is native to warmer season as a perennial grass that is robust. It can grow up to 20 feet tall with leafs up to 12 inches long and ½ inches wide that gradually form a point. The leaves grow in bunches of three to five blades at the ends of the small branches and a shorter leafstalk between the sheath and blades. The leaves are overlapping and rounded in shape. The plant structure is similar to a row of shorten hairs with the stems woody and hollow and the seedhead opens to a branch of flower with about twelve thorns on each seedhead.
The Arundinaria Giantea Cane is a durable plant but overgrazing of cattle or burning can easily kill off this species of grass. To ensure the proper production of the grass, it is highly recommended to only allow no more than 50 percent of the grass to be used for grazing during one year at any time. The only time a controlled burning of the grass is to be done is when the humidity is high, the soil is moist, and the wind does not blow to cause more of the grass to burn then necessary. The controlled burns should not occur more than every four years to ensure the reproduction of the natural grass. With the limited damage to the plant by overgrazing and controlled burns, the plants will remain vigorous naturally.
Arundinaria Giantea Cane has foliage and leaves year round. It grows from rootstocks and primary nodes. It forms small groups or colonies in thickets as well as makes a durable growth for the denser areas near trees. It easily adapts to the riverbanks that are moist and the lower areas of waterways thriving in higher fertilized soils.
The natural beautiful grass is graceful to the countryside and is often desired by farmers and nature lovers for the additional benefits to the landscape. The natural benefits of the cane create a wonderful wildlife habitat for birds and small creatures providing additional safe natural environments that encourage the animals to reproduce and live safely.
http://www.tennesseewholesalenursery.com TN Nursery is a state certified tree nursery specializing in native plants and trees, shrubs, fern, and perennials as well as pond plants and wetland mitigation species.
Source:www.isnare.com | |
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