Landscaping with Florida Native Plants

Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Beneficial Wildlife with Florida native plants.

Native Bamboo in Gainesville
Native Bamboo in Gainesville

Wet Canebrake or Giant Cane, Arundinaria gigantea ssp. gigantea, is our only native bamboo and is found in floodplains and streambanks from central Florida to North Carolina and other states. It grows in thickets underneath wetland tree species like Red Maple, Sweetgum, oaks and many others.

A wet area of the yard that is not flooded for long is a good place to create your own Canebrake, or thicket . Just keep in mind that this plant sends out below ground horizontal spikes several feet from the plant. These send up new plants over a large area and must be given lots of room or a barrier. You can also just mow the shoots as they are sent up from the root.