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There are many varieties of sugarcane that can be classified as heirloom varieties. Most are varieties which are soft for chewing, some are hard syrup varieties. A few are even ornamental. Heirlooms have been quickly disappearing, mainly because of the commercial sugar industry researching for cultivars with highest sugar content and disease resistance, etc. Old heirlooms are not replaced in government collections in many cases. Commercial growers don't need a variety that has chewing or ornamental value, so "unwanted" varieties get cut from collections. Home gardeners want these.
Some chewing varieties of sugarcane include : Ribbon(also ornamental), Home Green, Louisiana Purple, White Transparent, Ko kea (Hawaiian) and several varieties whose names have been lost. Losing of names and renaming are common with sugarcane.
Some ornamental varieties include : Pele's Smoke(purple leaves and stalk), Ivory Stripes(variegated leaves, purple stalk with some black stripes), and many Hawaiian varieties which have stripes in the stalk and/or variegated leaves.
I am looking for several heirloom type varieties to collect. Does anyone have an old heirloom variety out there--packed back in their garden ?
Sugarcane52
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