Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Thursday - March 27, 2014

From: Hendersonville, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Invasive Plants, Non-Natives, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: How many Bamboo species are native to North Carolina? one
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

I would like to know how many bamboo plants are native to North Carolina?

ANSWER:

Bamboos are the largest of the grasses, with more than 1600 species on the planet; 64 percent of which are native to Southeast Asia. Thirty-three percent grow in Latin America, and the rest in Africa and Oceania. (click here for more). In North America, Arundinaria is our only native bamboo genus with three native species occurring here:

Arundinaria gigantea

Arundinaria tecta

Arundinaria appalachiana