Sugarcane
Saccharum officinarum
Chew the stems or press them for juice; another Polynesian canoe plant.
Hardiness: zones 9 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 12 ft tall, 3 ft wide
Harvest: October to December
From: New Guinea
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food.
Native to: South & Southeast Asian tropics, Hawaiʻi & Pacific Islands, New Guinea & Melanesia. Hardy in zones 9 to 12.
The story
Sugarcane was domesticated in New Guinea 8,000 years ago and carried through Asia; India first crystallized sugar, Arabs spread it to the Mediterranean, and Columbus took it to the Caribbean, where it drove the Atlantic slave trade. Polynesians carried kō to Hawaiʻi as a canoe plant and chewed it fresh.
Planting
Full sun, rich moist soil, and a long hot season; plant stem cuttings with buds horizontally in spring, 6 inches deep. Dies at frost but regrows from the root in mild climates.
Growing
Water and feed generously; it is a tall grass that drinks. Strip dead leaves. Takes 10 to 12 months to mature.
Harvest and use
Cut stems at the base in late autumn; peel and chew, or press for juice. Ratoon crops regrow for several years.
What to watch for
Frost, borers, and rust in humid places.
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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home