Standing above one’s peers has several advantages. In most cases, the tall individual will be immediately noticed and usually recognized, hopefully for positive and refined qualities.
The elevated individual eventually attracts those with similar attributes in both altitude and other features. This collection has been referred to by a variety of terms.
If a positive and productive group, they can be termed a committee or council. If a destructive assemblage, the term gang is frequently applied.
In horticultural terms the words applied can be thicket, or the much lesser used appellation brake. In Panhandle Florida this terminology is usually applied to canebrakes.
Arundinaria gigantea, commonly known as switch cane, can form thick groves in some local environments. It is the sole native bamboo species and has a long history of use by humans.
Switch cane grows wild in many Florida Panhandle locations. Once widely used, it has returned to its wild origins. Its leaves and height make it a standout in the green forest background.
Identifying this plant is a relatively simple process. The first clue is its height. It is typically in the six-foot range, but under ideal conditions it will reach 25 feet.
The leaves are long and proportionally thin. They are usually erect when new, but droop with age and can reach 12 inches in length.
Their edges are straight and the tips are pointed. The lower surface of the leaves frequently has short fine “hairs” sparsely scattered.
This plant is found in a variety of north Florida environments including swamps, upland pine/hardwood forests and riverbanks. Consistent moisture supports growth, but it will survive dry periods.
Its ideal growing conditions include filtered light, but it will take sunnier or shadier sites. Growth rates will be slower and plants will not achieve their maximum potential.
Reproduction is usually accomplished by rhizome expansion. The roots grow to establish clusters of plants which eventually become the canebrakes of legend and lore.
Rarely, usually only once during its life, switch cane will bloom. Reproduction by seed is relatively uncommon.
While related to golden bamboo, the exotic invasive species, switch cane has none of the unrestrained capabilities of its Asian cousin. However, it does share many of the useful traits which make this plant a resource to native animals and humans.
The foliate is the exclusive feed stock for six butterfly species. The dense clusters of plants provide nesting for birds and refuge for many small mammals.
The pre-Columbian residents of Florida and the southeastern region depended on this plant for a variety of items which were used on a daily basis. Tools, hunting implements, household goods and even food were made from this native plant.
The pliable nature of the leaves and young stems made this an ideal material for weaving baskets and mats. The same quality also made it an excellent building material for shelters and homes.
Even today, this plant is used as livestock fodder. In the days of Florida cowhunters and cracker cattle, the cattle would use it as a high fiber dietary staple. For sheep herders, it is known as mutton grass which small ruminants will consume.
Use in ornamental horticulture has been limited to this point, but it has been employed in sandy areas where erosion has been a problem. Its dense root system stabilizes the soil and minimizes its loss.
It also may be a disciplinary implement. Some sources indicate the common name is attributed to its shoots being used as switches for naughty children.
While little known in contemporary Panhandle Florida, this native plant stands tall both among its companions and in its ability to serve human (at least parents) and non-human residents.
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