General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Grass/Grass-like
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Wet
Wet Mesic
Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 6a -23.3 °C (-10 °F) to -20.6 °C (-5 °F)
Plant Height: 12 to 16 feet (3.7-4.9 m)
Flower Time: Fall
Underground structures: Rhizome
Suitable Locations: Bog gardening
Uses: Water gardens
Will Naturalize
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Propagation: Other methods: Division
Pollinators: Wind
Conservation status: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation status:
Conservation status: Least Concern
Image
Common names
  • Reed Grass
  • Giant Reed
  • Spanish Cane
  • Giant Reed Grass
  • Wild Cane
  • Giant Cane

Photo Gallery
Location: my garden
Date: 2020-08-08
Location: Aberdeen, NC 
Date: September 6, 2023
giant Cane # ; RAB p. 89, 29-4-1; LHB p. 159, 25-59-1, "Ancient L
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Date: 2017-10-10
Location: Achadas da Cruz - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-20
Location: Fairfax, VA | July, 2022
Date: 2022-07-02
Location: Achadas da Cruz - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-20
Location: Savannah, Georgia, USA
Date: 2013
Location: Thomasville, Georgia
Date: 2013-11-16

Date: 2007
credit: Shizhao
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-06-03
This is before it zooms up to dizzying heights
Location: Savannah, Georgia, USA
Date: 2013
Location: Edinburg, Texas | July, 2023
Location: Thomasville, Georgia
Date: 2013-11-16
Location: Thomasville, Georgia
Date: 2013-11-16
Location: West Valley City, UT
Date: 2008-04-13
The rootball is thick and hard and took a shovel, mattox, garden

photo credit: H. Zell
Location: Quad Cities Botanical Garden, Rock Island, Il.
Date: 2012-07-01
Location: Quad Cities Botanical Garden, Rock Island, Il.
Date: 2012-07-01

photo credit: Bouba at French Wikipedia
Location: Quad Cities Botanical Garden, Rock Island, Il.
Date: 2012-07-01

photo credit: Donkey shot
Uploaded by robertduval14
Comments:
  • Posted by cats1 on Aug 7, 2013 9:08 AM concerning plant:
    Arundo Donax looks great with Miscanthus, so if you like ornamental grass, you'll probably like giant reed. We live in Iowa (zone 5A) and our plant is probably about 6 years old and takes up about a 6 or 7 foot circle in the yard. This plant likes sun to really do well, so I'd try to plant it away from any trees you have. I'd also try to plant it where you won't have to move it. We've actually used an axe and a crowbar to pry/chop it out of the ground when we wanted to move ours. It's related to corn and when it's early in the summer it will grow straight up. Later in the year the top of the reeds will fan out gracefully when they get more height. It's not a neat little plant that will look perfect in your yard. It's a large, rougher-looking one that will get a lot of attention. It's also one that I'd replace if it didn't overwinter. Can't do without this one! :)
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