Help with ID on cane

[bisonboy78]

Hello all, I found some cane on the side of a hwy in East Texas yesterday and cut a lot of it. Now I'm trying to find out if it's river cane or switch cane let alone cane at all. I was just so excited to find something other than the bamboo I see everywhere down here. I also marked it on a map for future use or discard.

[Pat B]

From what I can see it looks like switch cane to me. Did you cut mature culms?  You will be able to tell as they dry. Immature cane will wrinkle lengthwise as it dries.

[bisonboy78]

I have no idea if I cut mature or not, I was just so excited to find some that I started cut like a madman. I bundled them in bunches of 8 and 9, guess I'll find out in a month or so. I live south of Chandler, Tx and it gets fairly humid, would it be better to bring in the house, standing in a corner or lay them flat on the ground in my shop/shed outside? Thanks again.

[RidgeRunner]

Unbundle them and bring them into the house if you can
The humidity down there will set up rot in the middle of the bundle.  Real fast like.

About two weeks, in the house, and you can take them back outside.

David

[mullet]

I leave mine outside so they lighten up in color. Humidity in Florida doesn't hurt them.

[GaryR]

I live just over an hour west of you. It is humid here to. I just put mine in the garage and no rot. It's much hotter outside than in your house, I think they dry faster outside. Anyway, I was told the species is less important than some think.

[Pat B]

Switch cane and hill cane are very similar in size and habit. River cane grows a lot bigger(3/4"x15')

[PrimitiveTim]

Cane is cane man make some arrows! lol, looks more like switch cane or possibly even some type of bamboo but it really doesn't matter a whole lot.  I like to dry my cane on the dashboard of my car.  They dry real quick like that. lol  Show us the arrows when you get some made up.

[bisonboy78]

Thanks guys, I did a little bit of everything to see what works the best for me. I will definitely be posting pics when I get it up and running. What's a good way to tell if it's mature for cutting or not. Thanks again.

[Pat B]

Generally if the paper-like sheath has deteriorated it is mature enough. Sometimes you can go by color too. The mature culms are more olive or yellow green color.

[Salvador 06]

I would love to have access to a field of cane like that.