Chimonobambusa purpurea

Hsueh & Yi

Black thorny bamboo

Poaceae Edible: Shoots 1 iNaturalist observations

gbif· cc0

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Summary

An evergreen bamboo reaching 5 m tall with year-round foliage. Wind-pollinated hermaphrodite. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with mildly acid, neutral, or basic pH. Grows in semi-shade or full sun with preference for moist soil.

Description

A bamboo. It grows 4-8 m tall. The culms are 2-5 cm across. The internodes are green and 18 cm long. There are 2 or 3 leaves on the furthest branch. The leaf blade is narrowly oval and 5-19 cm long by 1-2 cm wide.

Edible Uses

The stems are cooked and make an excellent vegetable.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows on hills and low mountains between 800-1,500 m above sea level in central China. In Sichuan.

Where It Grows

Asia, China,

Cultivation

Prefers a good loamy soil. Succeeds in most soils so long as they do not dry out. Dislikes drought. Prefers a position sheltered from cold north and east winds. Closely related to Chimonobambusa marmorea, and regarded as no more than a sub-species of that plant by some botanists. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus. Plants only flower at intervals of many years. When they do come into flower most of the plants energies are directed into producing seed and consequently the plant is severely weakened. They sometimes die after flowering, but if left alone they will usually recover though they will look very poorly for a few years. If fed with artificial NPK fertilizers at this time the plants are more likely to die.

Propagation

Surface sow seed as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse at about 20°c, keeping the compost consistently moist. Germination usually occurs fairly quickly with good-quality seed, though it can take 3–6 months. Grow seedlings on in a lightly shaded greenhouse position until large enough to plant out. Seed is rarely available. Divide in spring as new growth begins, taking divisions with at least three canes and disturbing the main plant's roots as little as possible. Grow divisions in light shade in a greenhouse in pots of high-fertility sandy medium, misting the foliage regularly until established. Plant out when a good root system has developed, which can take a year or more. Basal cane cuttings can also be used.