Arundinaria tecta (Switch Cane) “Beaufort Banty”

Description

Low Growing Native Form  of Evergeen Bamboo is Larval host of 6 butterflies: Creole Pearly Eye, Southern Pearly Eye, Lace-winged Roadside Skipper, Reversed Roadside Skipper and Carolina Roadside Skippers and Yehl Skipper. Native Bees nest in stems. Birds hunt for insects among the leaves. Seeds are eaten by songbirds and mammals. Switchcane seeds and young shoots are edible for Humans. Stems have numerous folk usages.

It spreads through stems to make a nice groundcover. Unlike many nonnative bamboos, the stems are thin and shallow so they are easy to manage. Great shelter and nesting material for native birds and  other small animals. Spreads through underground stems to make groundcover which provides shelter and nesting material for birds and other small animals. Switch Cane makes a great Deer Baffle.  Plant around “tastier” plants to protect them from browsing. 

Native to AL , FL , GA , LA , MD , MS , NC , SC , VA. We propagated our plants from a native low-growing population in  Beaufort Co.,SC.  The mother population was only 1′-2′ tall. After 10 years of replanting in the wo odlands by the nursery, average height is 2’3′ tall with some occasional stems reaching 6′. Plant in sun or part shade in average to wet soil. It thrives for months without water once established.

We can provide larger orders of this species upon request.