Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Emily on March 22, 2009 at 11:04am

Kate, do you have a photo? I might be able to ID them.
Emily

Permalink Reply by Kate E on March 22, 2009 at 1:59pm

oh, I will take one next time I drive by. Thank you!!

Permalink Reply by Joran Viers on March 23, 2009 at 7:55am

This is river cane, a.k.a. Arundo donax. Some think its a bamboo, but the stalks are not nearly as hard and "woody" as bamboo. I'm not sure who sells it around, i started some from a little clump i dug a few years ago, have it in an area that doesn't get any extra water, and it's now a stand about 15 feet tall and almost as wide. I have to chop it back to keep it from spreading out under the clothes line! It can be cut back as they did at HCC, but i never do - better screen that way. The sparrows love to hang out in it, too.

Permalink Reply by Kate E on March 23, 2009 at 9:23am

Thank you!

Permalink Reply by JMG on March 23, 2009 at 9:41pm

I bought some arundo donax from Osuna nursery a couple of years ago. I don't think they carry it anymore. Yes, that's what's in front of the Hispanic Cultural Center and it's great for a screen. Within two years, mine is about 20 ft. tall with a very nice, tropical, bamboo-like look. It clumps and doesn't seem to spread "invasively." You can find it growing along ditches and in vacant lots and can probably start it from root stock. I'm in the market for more for my other fenceline. Let me know if you want to get together and go dig some up. - jill

Permalink Reply by Kate E on March 30, 2009 at 1:03pm

Sweet! Thanks, Jill!
I'll talk to Tami about it and see.

Permalink Reply by Kemper Barkhurst on March 30, 2009 at 11:26pm

I believe there is also some of this growing on the edge of the ditch at the far Northwest corner of Los Poblanos Open Space near the Community Garden.