River Cane

[David Rase]

I have seen various posts where people have made powder measures out of river cane.  I would like to know what the difference between river cane and bamboo is.  I have seen bamboo available in some of our nurseries but was hesitant to buy any.  If it is the same then I will buy some.  If they are two different things then I would like to find out where I can get some genuine river cane.
Dave 

[C Wallingford]

Davie--
I don't know the difference, if there is any, but River Cane can be found along the rivers in KY.  Around Blue Licks  and other areas in Central  and Eastern KY

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

It is totally different..  for one thing it is round without any groove down one side such as bamboo has.

http://creativenativeproject.blogspot.com/2011/05/searching-for-wild-river-cane.html

a friend/builder (Len Henry) here in atlanta makes arrows from this cane as the early natives did.

I have used it for pipestems.  I would like to find some big ones to make speed loaders from.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arundinaria

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canebrake_(region_of_Alabama)

[skillman]

For God's sake Dave, DON'T buy any Bamboo!!! I have a ton of the it here and once it's started, you can't seem to get rid of it!!! You have probably seen the measures I have made from it. If you can't get any of the real stuff and still want bamboo, just ask.

Steve

[Dennis Glazener]

I would like to know what the difference between river cane and bamboo is.

David,
I think I am right on this, I know that the river cane that I have seen in the wild fit this description.

River cane is straight on the outside, it does not have the "rib" like joint around the stem like Bamboo. Also didn't have the slight groove down the side like Time mentioned.

Some of the guys further south should have access to plenty of it. I know that down in Transylvania County NC I have seen plenty of it growing wild. Also remember seeing it at Sycamore Shoals in TN.
Dennis

[Tim Crosby]

 Dave, try a search of River Cane in Accouterments, here's one:

  http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=10121.msg95592#msg95592


  Tim C.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

So there is some growing around Atlanta, but it is all arrow size... haven't seen any larger.....

[rich pierce]

There's a lot in Maryland.   I see it when I'm visiting my sister and wish I could take a truckload home.  Great for arrows but the Maryland stuff I see along the highway at 12-15 feet tall must be pretty thick.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Len tells me that the cane should be harvested in December or January or it tends to shrivel out od shape as it drys.

[Elnathan]

I have seen river cane for sale in the craft store Michaels, though the last time I was there they were having a clearance sale and it had all been sold. You might want to check your local arts and crafts store.

[smorrison]

I picked up some of what Michaels was selling, though I think it is a species of bamboo.  This stuff did have the joint between sections.  The partitions in the joints were paper thin and wouldn't be adequate for a powder measure without an insert...

Scott

[Keb]

Home Depot sells it and calls it Tomato Stakes. It's green :/

[KY Shinner]

I have camouflaged a many of duck blinds with this.  Holds it's leaves all through the season.

[hanshi]

I've made powder measures, stoppers and other stuff out of "river cane" and have used the larger species of bamboo as well.  Got lots of rc in my back yard and it's impossible to get rid of, too.

[William Worth]

We cut it for bean sticks in our bottoms.

I hope people aren't very successful in getting rid of it.  It's one of our native vegetation species that seem to thrive despite us, so far....   Some day, there will probably be something introduced that will kill it off like the chestnuts.