Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is a sugar-rich grass species native to New Guinea. Sugarcane is commercially cultivated around the world to make sugar and ethanol. In ancient times, people would chew this plant to extract sweet juice from the stalk.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Saccharum officinarum is a large, strong-growing species of grass in the sugarcane genus. Its stout stalks are rich in sucrose, a disaccharide sugar which accumulates in the stalk internodes. It originated in New Guinea, and is now cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries worldwide for the production of sugar, ethanol and other products.
Saccharum officinarum was first domesticated in New Guinea and the islands east of the Wallace Line by Papuans, where it is the modern center of diversity. Beginning at around 6,000 BP it was selectively bred from the native S. robustum. From New Guinea it spread westwards to Island Southeast Asia after contact with Austronesians, where it hybridized with S. spontaneum.
The Hawaiian word for this species is kō.
Saccharum officinarum, a perennial plant, grows in clumps consisting of a number of strong unbranched stems. A network of rhizomes forms under the soil which sends up secondary shoots near the parent plant. The stems vary in color, being green, pinkish, or purple and can reach 5 meters (16 feet) in height. They are jointed, nodes being present at the bases of the alternate leaves.
The internodes contain a fibrous white pith immersed in sugary sap. The elongated, linear, green leaves have thick midribs and saw-toothed edges and grow to a length of about 30 to 60 centimeters (12 to 24 inches) and width of 5 cm (2 in). The terminal inflorescence is a panicle up to 60 cm (24 in) long, a pinkish plume that is broadest at the base and tapering towards the top.
The spikelets are borne on side branches and are about 3 millimeters (1⁄8 in) long and are concealed in tufts of long, silky hair. The fruits are dry and each one contains a single seed. Sugarcane harvest typically occurs before the plants flower, as the flowering process causes a reduction in sugar content.

II. Types of Sugar Cane
If you want to grow sugar cane as a crop. there are many different varieties to choose from. The number of ornamental varieties (which are all edible, too) is much smaller. Here are some varieties to look for:
- ‘Pele’s Smoke’ is a variety with dark purple leaves that turn black with increased sun exposure. It grows up to 8 feet tall. Hardy to the upper end of USDA Zone 8, it is hardier than other varieties.
- ‘Red Candy Stripe’ has canes with red stripes at the base. With a height of 4 to 6 feet, this is a shorter, fast-maturing variety. If planted in the spring, it is ready to be harvested in the fall.
- ‘Hilo Buddha’ is a rare bicolored variety with barrel-shaped nodes that have maroon and lime green stripes.
III. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Sugarcane thrives under full sun conditions, requiring prolonged and intense light exposure to maximize photosynthesis for optimal growth and sugar production. Although sugarcane tolerates partial sun, insufficient light may lead to reduced growth rates and sugar content. Sugarcane exhibits adaptability to light variation through leaf orientation, which maximizes light absorption. Best planted outdoors in open, unshaded areas, sugarcane is not typically an indoor plant. Consistent, direct sunlight is crucial for healthy sugarcane crops.
Temperature and Humidity
Sugar cane flourishes in hot, humid weather. The optimum growing temperature is around 90 degrees F and the relative humidity should be at least 50%. It can’t tolerate temperatures below freezing. In temperatures below 70 degrees F, growth is stunted.
Watering
Sugar prospers in consistent moisture but does not tolerate wet, soggy soil or being overwatered. In the absence of abundant precipitation, sugar cane needs to be irrigated, 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
However, reduce watering if you plan to harvest mature stems. Slightly dry conditions slow down the growth and increase the sugar production in the lower part of the stalks.
Soil
Sugar cane does well in most soil types as long as they are well-drained. It prefers deep soil that crumbles easily, with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. The plant rapidly saps the nutrients from the ground so plant it in soil that is rich in organic matter or amend the soil with compost.
Fertilizing
When grown as a food crop, sugar cane is a heavy feeder and should be given a high-nitrogen fertilizer once a week during its peak growing time in the summer.
However, if you grow it as an ornamental, it is sufficient to fertilize the plant three times during the growing season with a slow-release high-nitrogen fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer 10 inches away from the base of the plant to prevent fertilizer burn.
Pruning
If your sugar cane is thriving and vigorously shooting up, the grass may begin to sprawl and lose its upright, clump-forming habit. If this happens, it is usually best to cut the plant back and remove dead, withered foliage for a tidier appearance. Cut stalks are excellent material for organic mulch or used to make new plants.
Propagation
Sugar cane is typically planted using seed canes but you can also propagate the plant using stem cuttings to make your own seed canes. The process is not complicated. Here are steps to take a cutting:
With a sterilized gardening cutting tool, take a 4- to 6-inch piece of a healthy stem that has at least two internodes in the upper part of the stem.
Plant the cutting deep into the ground, making sure no more than 2 inches of the stem is visible above the soil. Alternatively, bury the cutting horizontally into the soil.
It usually takes about two weeks for shoots to start appearing on the nodes and roots to begin forming.
How to Grow From Seed
It is also possible to grow sugar cane from seeds although that method is less reliable in terms of results and is only recommended if you are planning to grow sugar cane as an edible crop.
- Sow seeds directly in the garden two weeks after the last frost and the soil temperature has reached at least 60 degrees F.
- Plant seeds 1 to 1.5 inches deep, spacing them 8 to 12 inches apart and in rows 36 to 42 inches apart. To ensure wind pollination, plant sugar cane in blocks of at least 3 rows in each direction.
- Keep the soil evenly moist.
- The seeds take about 10 days to germinate. Thin seedlings 8 to 12 inches apart.
Potting and Repotting
To grow sugar cane in a cool climate, you need to grow it in containers and overwinter the plants indoors. Use a container with large drainage holes, about 14 inches deep. Depending on the size of the plant, the container size may range 8 and 20 inches in diameter. Fill it with a mixture of potting soil and compost. Repot it to a larger container with fresh soil when the plant becomes root-bound.
Keeping the soil moist is the biggest challenge of growing sugar cane in pots, as the potting mix dries out faster than garden soil. Up your watering schedule accordingly.
Overwintering
If grown as an ornamental within its zone range, sugar cane typically does not need winter protection. Plants whose canes have been harvested, however, benefit from an extra layer of soil. Cut the plant as close to the ground as possible and cover the plant’s “stubble” to protect it from cold weather.
Bring container plants indoors before the first fall frost.
Pests and Diseases
Sugar cane is prone to typical pests such as mealybugs, but you should be on the lookout for moth caterpillars, sugar cane borers (Diatraea saccharalis kills the stalks), termites, spittlebugs, and sugar cane beetles (Euetheola humilis). The grass is prone to root rot, whip smut, red stripe (top rot), and viral problems such as stunted growth of new shoots and grassy shoot disease
III. Uses and Benefits
Portions of the stem of this and several other species of sugarcane have been used from ancient times for chewing to extract the sweet juice. It was cultivated in New Guinea about 8,000 years ago for this purpose. Extraction of the juice and boiling to concentrate it was probably first done in India more than 2,000 years ago.
Saccharum officinarum and its hybrids are grown for the production of sugar, ethanol, and other industrial uses in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The stems and the byproducts of the sugar industry are used for feeding to livestock. Pigs fed on sugarcane juice and a soy-based protein supplement produced stronger piglets that grew faster than those on a more conventional diet. As its specific name (officinarum, “of dispensaries”) implies, it is also used in traditional medicine both internally and externally.