Sugar Cane Plant

Sugar cane is genus of tall grass, native to warm temperate and tropical regions of the world. Generally referred to as a tropical plant, sugar cane is found in abundance between 36.7° N and 31.0° S latitude, which covers some warm temperate areas as well. A sugar cane plant is typically characterized by long, fibrous stalks, rich in sugar. Some of the species of sugar cane can even grow up to a length of 6 meters. A large part of sugar cane produce of the world comes from South America and Southeast Asia, with Brazil being the leading producer of sugar cane, followed closely by India.
Sugar Cane Plant Facts; Sugar cane belongs to genus Saccharum of Poaceae family of plants. The leaves of this plant are broad, and grow alternately off the stem. Our familiarity with the sugar cane plant is often restricted to sugar or sugarcane juice, which gives us much needed respite in the hot summer season. However, the plant is also used to produce several other products, including sugar cane syrup, rum and ethanol. Even the bagasse, which remains after the sugar cane stalks are crushed to produce the aforementioned products, can be utilized to produce heat and electricity. With so many uses to its credit, sugar cane is undoubtedly one of the most useful plants in the world.
How to Grow Sugar Cane Plant?; Though sugar cane seeds are available, the most convenient way to grow a sugar cane plant is to grow it from the stem. When choosing the stem, you need to make sure that it is slightly green or golden brown in color. A ripe sugar cane will not root, and hence is best avoided. You can start by filling a container with soil, and soaking it with water. Then place the sugar cane stem in it horizontally, and cover it with soil. Ideally you should place this container in warm area, and make sure that the soil is kept moist throughout. You will require to to monitor it regularly to keep a check on the shoots that crop up. Once you observe the top growth of shoots on the stem, you can cut it it into several pieces and plant them in bright sunny location. Read more on growing sugar cane.
Sugar Cane Plant Care; The process of growing a sugar cane plant may seem to be quite easy, but then you also need to abide by some simple steps to ensure that the crop produce is good. Being well-versed with sugarcane plant requirements can be a boon if you intend to try your luck in sugar cane production. Sugar cane grows well in a tropical or temperate climate, with a minimum 24 inches of annual moisture. In terms of USDA hardiness zones, this species grows best in zone 9 and zone 10. It requires ample amount of sunlight throughout the day. Ideally, sandy loam or clay loam, with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5, is the best soil type for sugarcane. In terms of water supply, you need to ensure that moist conditions prevail.
This was the basic information about sugar cane plants, with special reference to how to grow them and how to care for them. It is also regarded as one of the best plant species in terms of photosynthesis. Only found in Asia at one point of time, today, the sugar cane plant is grown in various parts of the world, and the credit for this goes to the minimal care required to grow it, and its superb adaptability.