Phyllostachys reticulata

(Rupr.) K. Koch

Hardy timber bamboo, Japanese timber bamboo, Giant timber bamboo, K'u chu, Ma dake

Poaceae Edible: Shoots 325 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A bamboo. It grows 20 m tall. The culms are 15 cm across. The internodes are 40 cm long. There are 2-4 leaves on the last branch. The leaf blades are 6-15 cm long by 2-3 cm wide.

Edible Uses

Both madake and Phyllostachys edulis (known in Japanese as moso) are used in the making of shakuhachi flutes The hairless and flexible sheaths of madake - known as takekawa or takenokawa - make it apt for wrapping food, and in the production of baren woodblock printing tools. The uniform, plain-colour sheaths of the variety kashirodake were traditionally used to weave the coverings of some geta, a covering known as tatami omote; however, in modern times, the variety used is a different and unknown species, grown in China and bleached to be plain in colour. The long internodes and equally long fibres of the bamboo make it ideal for traditional basket-weaving and the production of fans. Historically, madake was used to create relatively durable carbon filaments in early incandescent light bulbs. The Edison Electric Light Company used madake from Yawata for about fifteen years.