Sugarcane
Saccharum officinarum
Family: Poaceae
What it is like
A tall thick stemmed clumpy grass. It has many nodes. It grows 1-6 m tall. It spreads 100 cm wide. A large number of different cultivated varieties occur. The leaves are long and narrow. They taper to the tip. They are rigid and droop at the tip. The cane varies in thickness, length of nodes, colour etc. The stalks have distinct nodes and the bottom of the leaf is wrapped in a sheath around the stalk. The flower is brownish. It is surrounded by dense silky white hairs.
It is used as a sweetener.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It occurs throughout the country of Papua New Guinea up to 2,750 m above sea level. It needs a temperature over 21°C for sprouting. It is frost sensitive. In Nepal it grows up to about 1400 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 9-12. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh (country/location of origin), Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bougainville, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Caroline Islands, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, China, Chuuk, Colombia, Congo DR, Congo R, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Easter Island, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, French Guiana, FSM, Ghana, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Hispaniola, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kosrae, Laos, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mariana Islands, Marquesas, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea (country/location of origin), Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pohnpei, Reunion, Rotuma, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies, Yap, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The stems are chewed. The flowers can be cooked and eaten before the flower opens. The stems are the source of cane sugar. This is used as a sweetener in many foods and drinks.
Chewing canes are a very important snack and social food in all areas of Papua New Guinea. Over 1 billion tons are produced each year worldwide. It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Sap, shoots, flowers
How it is grown
Plants are mostly grown from tops of canes. They can be grown from sections of the stalk or division of the root stock. It requires a good fertility and good rainfall. Plants can be ratooned or cut back if the soil fertility is high. Tall cultivars need staking.
Plants mostly take 14-18 months until they are ready for harvest.
Its other names
Local names
Ampow, Angarigai, Angou, Api wira, Arekie, Ase, Bai ile, Bo, Bos, Bur-shing, Bus, Cana de acucar, Cana sacarina, Canna da zuccehero, Canne a sucre, Cheruku, Dovu, Ebikajjo, El, Fo'u, Ganiesi, Ganna, Guru, Hetaru, Ho, Hon, Hong gan zhe, Ibia malen, Ikshu, Karimbu, Karumbu, Kelju, Khanda, Kolchu, Kono, Kyan, Magi, Maphu, Menhet, Mihali, Misale, Mlungo muwa, Moko, Mukuku, Munse, Mushwati, Mzimbe, Nea gati, Njuwa, Oy, Paat, Patta patti kabbu, Paunda, Po, Poovan, Pundia, Rake, Rosan, Sapuk, Sarkara, Satou kibi, Sau, Sehu, Seo, Seu, Suti, Sutsapa'cco, Tain, Tebu, Te kaisoka, Te taiokeken, Ti, Tiwu, To, Toi, Tolo, Tsi, Tu, Tubo, Tuh, Tupu, Udhdhandi, Uk-gas, Ukhu, Wali, Weli, Wol, Woow, Ze, Zi, Zuckerrohr