Sugar cane plants with blooms high atop their graceful branches are a rare occurrence in the Teche Area, said Blair Hebert, extension agent for the LSU Ag Center.

However rare, blooms are plentiful in fields along Emile Verret Road in Iberia Parish.

The blooming cane is a specific variety that is grown for its mass as opposed to its potential sugar content, Hebert said.

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The crop along Emile Verret is an experiment of sorts for Ricky Judice of Loreauville, and his cousin Anthony “Joe” Judice — along with three other local farming operations — who also have fields of energy cane. 

Joe Judice said the energy cane growing in the Teche Area is for a Massachusetts company called Verinuim, which recently opened a demonstration plant making cellulostic ethanol in Mermentau. He said Cajun Sugar Co-op has shipped 10,000 tons of bagasse to the plant, which is producing 80 to 100 gallons of cellulostic ethanol for every dried ton of bagasse.  

Ricky Judice said the group is growing the blooming cane as an experiment. He said that because many other farmers are faced with stagnant crop prices and growing input costs, they need to look for other forms of income.

But back to the flower, Hebert said all types of sugar cane produce flowers if given the chance. Ricky Judice said that sugar cane is a tropical plant grown in this area’s semi-tropical climate, which most often does not provide enough warmth and sunshine for all varieties of cane to bloom every year.

In fact, its an occurrence he has only seen two or three times in his 57 years on the farm.