Place

Congaree Self Guided Boardwalk Tour Stop #5

An area of forest densely covered with tall, thin grass called switch cane
Stop #5

Quick Facts
Location:
33.8228, -80.8256
Significance:
Tour stop

Switch Cane

Due to a slight increase in elevation of only a few inches, switch cane dominates the forest floor in this area. Although it looks similar to bamboo, an invasive plant in South Carolina, it is more closely related to sugar cane. A dense growth of switch cane is called a canebrake. Canebrakes were so prevalent in South Carolina during early European settlement that the phrase was historically used on maps to describe vast areas of switch cane. 

Congaree National Park

Tags: congaree national park,

Last updated: June 11, 2026