
A few years back, we were experimenting with a relative of sugarcane (
Saccharum) where I work, called
Erianthus bengalense, the genus of which I believe in Greek, means red (eri) flower (anthus). We are no longer experimenting with
Erianthus bengalense, but still have an interest in
Erianthus arundinaceus, which is more robust, but, in my opinion is considerably less attractive. Unfortunately, in the USDA
Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) system, all the species within the
Erianthus genus got lumped under
Saccharum, which is technically not accurate.

I was enamored with the beauty of the plant, so I planted a stool of it in my back yard for its ornamental effect before the field it was in got plowed. The last two years, it was beaten up pretty badly because of severe storms, but this year, it achieved its full glory. [I added a second picture taken about two weeks later; note that the white speck at the top is the moon in the background]
1 comment:
Wow, it's huge!! That's really cool!!
Post a Comment