Cane, Arundinaria gigantea, our native type of
bamboo, is considered a single species wherever found in the western
hemisphere. Alternatively at least three
varieties or species depending on the source have been recognized locally and it appears some south of the border have been put in the the bamboo genus as Bambusa longifolia, American long-leaved bamboo. These include the original giant version, a
dwarf version A. tecta typically less than the height of an adult, and the most recently
described a deciduous version A. appalachiana, which is also the smallest was first recognized as A. tecta var. decidua in 1914 by C.D. Beadle who also discovered many species of hawthorns, Crataegus. One way to
tell the native cane from golden bamboo, Phyllostaychys aurea, probably the most common and widespread exotic bamboo, is the spacing of the joints near the ground
where those on the exotic species are significantly closer together. Most people regret ever planting an exotic
bamboo because most of them are monopodial (running) rather than sympodial (clumping) and soon grow out of bounds if not contained, thus requiring annual
control, which is easiest while the new stem sprouts are tender. Containment typically involves digging a trench at least 3 feet deep so a substantial barrier can be installed. Another way to get rid tender new shoots growing where not wanted may be to eat them since several species of bamboo are eatable although just to be safe they should be boiled to remove any cyanogens that are present in some species. Traditional local uses of cane range from bean stakes to
blowguns. William Bartram reported seeing a canebrake in Alabama where the canes were 40 feet tall and the section between some of the nodes/joints could have easily held a quart of water. The canes mentioned in the Bible were sweet canes that include ginger grass, Andropogon aromaticas, such as in Exodus 30:24-24, I Kings 10:10, Song of Solomon 4:14, Jeremiah 6:20, and Ezekiel 27:19 and sugar cane, Saccharum officinarum, mentioned indirectly in Joshua 16:8, 19:28, as the place name Kanah, which is where they grew, and in Isaiah 43:24 again as a sweet cane.