CULTIVATING SUGAR CANE

Ko was perfect for redesigning the Asian elephant exhibition. Mari and Empress, the elephants at that time, and now Mari and Vaigai just love to munch on juicy sugar cane stalks.

So how do you grow ko? Cut the stalks in pieces about 2 to 3 feet long. Look for pieces that have "eyes" or "buds" -- little shoots that will grow. Soak them in very hot tap water for 15 minutes. Lay the pieces down in well-prepared soil in furrows. Water and soak well, watering daily.

The ko will grow and look like a grass. It is actually in the grass family Graminaceae and is called Saccharum officinarum by plant scientists. In six months to a year, you should have some nice, fat stalks. You can cut and eat them and save some pieces for replanting.

Ko plants also tell you when they are ready to harvest. They will flower, sending up a pretty cane tassel at the tip of the stalk. When you see this, it really is time to harvest, eat and replant the ko.
The ko is at its sweetest and juiciest right before it flowers. These flowers are also pretty in a vase.