Switch cane is a native bamboo in the Poaceae (grass) family found in the coastal plain and piedmont regions of the eastern US from Virginia to Florida where it grows in the understory of moist forests and wetlands. It typically grows upright 2 to 6 feet in height but can approach 12 feet when conditions are favorable. Plant in full sun to deep shade in moist, to wet, rich loamy soil. Switch cane has tall thin green stems and vigorous running, rhizomes that grow in many directions. The leaves are alternate with a smooth margin and hairs. Flowers are inconspicuous and rare but appear in the spring and flowering stems die back when the seeds mature in the summer. A. tecta can be distinguished from A. gigantea in any of the following ways: A. tecta rhizomes have air canals on the perimeter, larger top knot leaves (8 to 12 inches in length), and 2-5 compressed nodes at the base of the branches (compared to 0 -1 nodes for A. gigantea ). This native plant provides cover and food for wildlife like birds as well as being a larval host plant for butterflies. Plant along streams, ponds or bogs to stabilize banks, for naturalizing an area or use as a hedge. The native bamboos have been over-grazed by cattle and uprooted by swine, thus decreasing their populations along with loss of habitat. Fire Risk: This plant has an extreme flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Herbaceous Perennial; Native Plant; Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Spreading
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Alternate stem leaves with hairs on both sides and smooth margins. They are 3-8 inches long, 0.4 to 1 inch wide and taper towards the base. The "Top-knot of leaves consists of 9-12 leaves
Flower color
Green
Flower form
Insignificant; Panicle; Spike
Flower detail
Flowers sporadically March to June in panicles with clustered spikelets of five to ten flowers
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Caryopsis
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Seeds mature in the summer
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Thin-walled and rigid stems with 3-4 compressed basal internodes are green and mature to brown
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern and southeaestern USA
Distribution
AL, FL, GA, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, VA
Wildlife value
Provides cover for birds and other wildlife and the seed are a food soruce. It is a larval host plant for butterflies.
Attracts
Butterflies; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Host plant for
butterflies
Play value
Wildlife Cover/Habitat; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Seeds; Shoots
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Caryopsis
Edibility
Young shoots can be cooked and eaten. Seeds can be a substitute for wheat
Uses (ethnobotany)
Roots have been used in herbal medicine
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Riparian
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Native Garden; Rain Garden; Water Garden