A length of rivercane seen end-on, its hollow interior open to view, the pale golden wall splitting into fibres at the cut.
  • Five lengths of rivercane laid upright side by side, their pale golden culms marked with dark speckling and a raised node partway up.

Rivercane is a native cane grass of the southeastern United States that grows near rivers and streams in long, hollow stalks similar to bamboo. It is valued for its strength and light weight.

Composition

Rivercane

Handling Notes

  • For weaving baskets and mats, after harvesting rivercane, split it lengthwise with a sharp blade toward yourself
  • Peel off the outer layer in quarter lengths by inserting the blade and drawing it down toward yourself to expose the shiny surface, which is the strong

Applications in Craft

Keywords

Provenance

Mary W. Thompson, Cherokee Baskets & Vessels, Cherokee, North Carolina. Acquired 2024.

Sources

  • Barnes, Marianne. New and Different Materials for Weaving and Coiling. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 2012.

In Use

Have you used this material?

Please contact Mellanee Goodman, Program Director, Curator, and Materials Specialist, to start a conversation about submitting your work for inclusion on this site.

mgoodman@centerforcraft.org