Bambusa flexuosa
Munro
Lesser thorny bamboo
wikimedia· cc-by-sa
Sajetpa at Malayalam Wikipedia (via Wikimedia Commons)
gbif· cc-by-nc-sa
MBG
Description
A bamboo. It grows 6-7 cm tall. The stems are 4-6 cm across. The tips curve downwards. The internodes are 20-30 cm long. It has branches down to the base. It has tough thorns.
Edible Uses
The shoots are eaten.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows on hills and along river banks.
Where It Grows
Asia, China, Indochina, Laos, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam,
Cultivation
It is used as a hedge.
Propagation
Seed - surface sow in containers as soon as it is ripe, preferably at a temperature around 20°c. Do not allow the compost to dry out. Germination usually takes place fairly quickly so long as the seed is of good quality, though it can take 3 - 6 months. Prick out the seedlings into containers when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a lightly shaded place until large enough to plant out. Plants only flower at intervals of many years and so seed is rarely available. Division as new growth commences. Take divisions with at least three canes in the clump, trying to cause as little root disturbance to the main plant as possible. Grow them on in light shade in pots of a high fertility sandy medium. Mist the foliage regularly until plants are established. Plant them out into their permanent positions when a good root system has developed, which can take a year or more. Plants can be propagated vegetatively by rhizome, culm and branch cuttings. The propagules are raised in a nursery and after they have produced roots and developed rhizomes they are planted out in the field during the rainy season in pits filled with a mixture of compost and soil.
Other Uses
The plant has a dense habit of growth and is well armed with thorns. It makes a good animal-excluding hedge.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Mai ka sa, Phai pa phum
References (1)
- A Rapid Participatory Biodiversity Assessment. 2007, Southern Lao PDR. IUCN p 104
