Sugar Cane Plant
Sugar Cane (Saccharum officinarum)
Widely cultivated on a mass scale commercially, the long, thick stems are harvested for their sweet sap, which is most commonly used to make sugar and molasses.
Sugarcane is a member of the grass family, Poaceae. Native to southern Asia. Sugarcane has been cultivated for about 2000 years but it wasn’t until the 18th century that it was in cultivation in the USA. Sugar production was and still is very important to many countries. It is also being used now as a bio fuel.
Sugarcane makes an attractive exotic-looking plant within your sub-tropical landscape. Ideal for a shelter-belt.
Exposing the green, purple yellowish stems as they mature creates a dramatic feature in any garden.
Plant Care
- Soil: Prefers deep, rich, and well-drained loamy soil.
- Watering: Requires ample water, especially during the growing season. Ensure consistent moisture without saturating the soil.
- Temperature: Best grown in warm climates; temperatures between 24°C and 30°C are ideal.
- Light: Full sun.
- Fertilising: Use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer like 21-7-14 to promote vigorous growth early in the season. Reduce nitrogen in later stages to improve stalk sweetness.
- Pruning: Not typically required, but thinning may be necessary to maintain optimal spacing and sunlight exposure.
- Mulching: Helpful in retaining soil moisture and suppressing weeds.
- Pest Control: Monitor for pests such as aphids and borers. Use biological control methods or appropriate pesticides.
- Flowering and Fruiting: Rarely flowers; commercial propagation is usually done vegetatively.
- Potting: Not suitable for potting due to its extensive root system and growth habit.
- Feeding Regime: Regular applications of nitrogen early in the growing phase, followed by potassium-rich fertilizers closer to harvest.
We ship our plants and garden supplies throughout New Zealand. Due to the increased costs of shipping and packaging, we now apply a minimal delivery charge. After offering free shipping for three consecutive years, we find it necessary to adjust this policy to align with current market conditions. However, we have lowered our prices to help offset this change.
Please note, we do not ship plants or garden supplies internationally from New Zealand. We do export plants and tissue culture materials from our overseas nursery, which requires a minimum order. Please contact us at hello@exoticanz.com to discuss your specific requirements.
Shipping (per plant)
Auckland & Northland: $20
Rest of North Island: $25
South Island: $35
Rural Address: Additional $5
Shipping Garden Supplies
Auckland & Northland: $10
Rest of North Island: $15
South Island: $20
Rural Address: Additional $5
Delivery
- Our plants are available for shipment throughout the year, depending on stock levels. Typical delivery times range from 5 to 7 business days, although they can take up to 10 business days depending on the destination.
- We take extra care in packaging; most of our plants are secured in bespoke inserts and shipped in individual boxes to ensure they arrive undamaged.
- Deliveries are scheduled once a week, typically on Monday. If you place your order over the weekend, we aim to dispatch your plants on the following Monday. This scheduling allows our team to prepare your order thoroughly and ensures the courier has sufficient time to deliver your plants safely, avoiding any unnecessary delays over the weekend.
- All orders are shipped via courier track and trace service (not signature required)
- We cannot deliver to PO Box addresses.
- If you have a rural address, please contact us beforehand to discuss the best delivery options and avoid any potential issues.
Additional Delivery Information
- We dispatch our plants year-round, as most are shipped with soil. During the winter months, we closely monitor weather conditions and may temporarily delay shipments if the weather is particularly severe. Our packing process includes adding insulation when necessary to protect the plants against temperature extremes.
- In summer, we ensure that plants are thoroughly watered before they leave our nursery. Occasionally, we may need to ship plants bare-rooted, particularly when they cannot be comfortably re-potted into smaller packaging for shipping. We will always discuss this with you in advance if your plant needs to be shipped in this manner.
- It's important to note that shipping can be a stressful experience for plants, often due to spending several days in a dark, confined space. While most plants withstand this with little to no stress, some may experience leaf drop. However, they generally recover quickly with some additional care, including proper watering and gradual reintroduction to light after arrival.
