FIELD ID CHARACTERISTICS:
Generally around blackwater wetlands, not brownwater. Stems are fairly thin and mature rhizomes have air canals visible in cross section as a ring of holes 1 mm or less from outer surface. When examining the bases of primary branches off the main stem, the first centimeter or so has 2-5 compressed internodes (space between nodes on stem).
Description: Leafy, upright herb, usually 1 to 2 m but may grow taller (to 3 m). Forms extensive colonies since it reproduces mainly by rhizomes.
Leaves: Alternate leaves with flat acuminate blades. Leaf blades 15 to 25 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide with rounded bases. Leaves along central stalks are persistent through winter or tardily deciduous.
Flowers/Fruit: Solitary grass-like spikelets with brown grains. Spreads primarily through rhizomes; flowers and fruits mainly after burning, but not strictly.
Habit and Range: Blackwater swamps, headwater wetlands, and pocosins predominantly in the Coastal Plain; uncommon in the lower Piedmont.
Taxonomic Note: Many still call this a subspecies or variety of Arundinaria gigantea (giant cane).
COMMON CONFUSIONS:
Arundinaria tecta (switch cane) is easily confused with Arundinaria gigantea (giant cane) which can grow much taller, and tends to be in the Piedmont and Mountains in brownwater systems. A. gigantea lacks the longitudinal air canals along the outer rim of its rhizomes, and has wider internodes at bases of branches. Leaves of Arundinaria resemble the non-native Phyllostachys aurea (golden bamboo), which has much thicker stalks. Smaller branches along central stalk of Phyllostachys spp. are consistently in sets of 2 and unequal; rarely with a smaller central third branch.
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Link to side-by-side comparisons page
