Bambusa grandis

Specimen: BS-0458 [E2] (living plant), received from cultivated stock from the USA, June 2010.

Characteristics: Culms erect, apically bending outwards. Culm-internodes medium green, initially sparsely slightly farinose, thick-walled. Culm-nodes not or slightly prominent. Branches several, from the basal node up, initially 3 branches arise, the central one very dominant, two side branches subdominant, very long, to 5 m and longer, ascending. Culm-leaves early deciduous. Culm-leaf sheaths leathery, shorter than the internode, 25–29 cm long, ca. 15 cm wide near the base, with brownish-purplish longitudinal blotches or streaks when young; near the base with dark brown appressed hairs; apex rounded, the middle part slightly concave-depressed, with a small triangular sheath extension on each edge. Culm-leaf auricles none. Culm-leaf ligule 4–7 mm high, serrulate. Culm-leaf blade patent to reflexed, caducous, short. Foliage-leaves 6–8 per branchlet. Foliage-leaf sheaths keeled, dark hirsute or glabrous. Foliage-leaf auricles inconspicuous, callus-like; oral setae very few, short, pale, deciduous. Foliage-leaf ligule 1–1.5 mm long, subentire. Foliage-leaf blades stout, medium green, slightly glossy above, lanceolate, medium-sized, 15–20 (29) × 3–4.5 (5.5) cm, glabrous on both surfaces; margins antrorsely scabrous; base rounded to wedge-shaped; apex attenuate; midvein proximally prominent; pseudopetiole ca. 5 mm long.

Uses: Shoots delicious, used for food; culms for construction; plants for landscaping.

Cultivation requirements: Grows in full sun, sandy loam to clay loam, normal moisture-retentive to moist soil with good drainage. Tolerates flooding.

Comments:

(1) The triangular sheath extensions might be interpreted as auricles, but they are not continuous with the blade.

(2) This bamboo is commonly cultivated in the USA under the name Dendro­calamus grandis. No reference was found for a valid publication of the name Dendrocalamus grandis.

(3) The fresh culm-leaves have ornamental value, but the basal branching and, in addition, the very long branches make this bamboo hardly suitable for small gardens.