Burmese bamboo, Jama Betua
Bambusa polymorpha

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

Burmese Bamboo, Bambusa polymorpha, is a tropical plant that grows on lower slopes and in well drained valleys. It reaches up to 25 m tall and 15 cm across. The stems are erect but can curve towards the top part. It is grayish green in color, covered with whitish brown hair, and turn brownish green upon drying. Culms of this species are used as construction material. The plant can be grown from seeds or cuttings. Other Names: Bar, Kyathaungwa, Narangi bas, Phai-hom.

Bambusa polymorpha is an evergreen Bamboo growing to 12 m (39ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. The flowers are pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Height (m): 12

Where it is found

Abundant throughout the more humid types of mixed deciduous forest, particularly on the lower slopes and in well-drained valleys. It flourishes best and reaches its largest dimensions on deep fertile loams.

Southeast Asia - northeastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Countries/locations it is found in

Found In: Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, Central America, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Thailand, USA.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Edible portion: Shoots. The young shoots are edible but are reputed to taste very bitter. The plant yields excellent sweet shoots, but sometimes they are regarded as bitter. The young shoots are harvested as they emerge from the soil.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 4

Other uses rating: High (4/5). Agroforestry Uses: Commonly associated in the wild with teak (Tectona grandis), the plant is seen as an indicator of deep, rich, well-drained soils on which teak also develops well. Other Uses Culms of Bambusa polymorpha are used for construction (walls, floors, roofs), matting, handicrafts, paper- and board-making. The natural durability of Bambusa polymorpha is poor. Untreated, exposed culms are destroyed within 19 months by termites, fungi and borers. Traditionally, harvested culms are submerged for 10 - 20 days in running water and air dried before being used. Green culms lose about 40% of their weight when air dried.

Biomass: Provides a large quantity of plant material that can be converted into fuel etc.

Thatching: Used for making thatched roofs.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Industrial Crop: Biomass: Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels

Management: Managed Multistem: Regularly removing some multiple stems. A non-A non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Minor Global Crop: These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.

Other Systems: Multistrata: Multistrata agroforests feature multiple layers of trees often with herbaceous perennials, annual crops, and livestock.

Other Systems: Strip intercrop: Tree crops grown in rows with alternating annual crops.

Management: Managed Multistem: Regularly removing some multiple stems. A non-A non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Other Systems: Multistrata: Multistrata agroforests feature multiple layers of trees often with herbaceous perennials, annual crops, and livestock.

Other Systems: Strip intercrop: Tree crops grown in rows with alternating annual crops.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

A plant of the tropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 28c, but can tolerate 9 - 32c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,200 - 2,500mm, but tolerates 700 - 4,500mm. Prefers a position in light shade, tolerating full sun. Grows best on a deep, fertile, well-drained, loam soils. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5. Bamboos have an interesting method of growth. Each plant produces a number of new stems annually - these stems grow to their maximum height in their first year of growth, subsequent growth in the stem being limited to the production of new side branches and leaves. In the case of some mature tropical species the new stem could be as much as 30 metres tall, with daily increases in height of 30cm or more during their peak growth time. This makes them some of the fastest-growing species in the world. Bamboos in general are usually monocarpic, living for many years before flowering, then flowering and seeding profusely for a period of 1 - 3 years before usually dying. The life cycle of this species is estimated at 60 years. It normally flowers gregariously for about 2 - 3 years, after which the clump dies. Natural regeneration is through seed, which is produced abundantly. A seedling needs more than 10 years to develop into a mature clump. In India, some 6-year-old clumps, developed from rhizome cuttings, contained on average 80 culms that were 11 metres tall and 17cm in diameter. Harvesting of culms may start when clumps are more than 5 years old. Culms to be harvested should be older than 1.5 years; for construction purposes, 3 - 4-year-old culms are preferred. For a sustainable yield, at least 8 - 10 old culms should be left in the clump. To protect natural bamboo forests, proper harvesting regulations should be established. Production: A 1000 seeds weigh 38 g.

Propagating it: 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 of around 40% 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, at around 30 - 50cm tall. 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. Rhizome cuttings are preferably taken from 2-year-old culms; their survival rate is almost 100%. For larger plantations, rhizome cuttings are not practical because too many mother clumps have to be damaged. Branch cuttings, planted under humid conditions, have been successful in Bangladesh (90% success rate); induction of roots and rhizomes on branches still on the living plant had a 80% success rate.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Bamboo

Hardiness: 9-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Burmese Bamboo, Bambusa polymorpha. Other Names: Bar, Kyathaungwa, Narangi bas, Phai-hom.

Synonyms

Arundarbor polymorpha (Munro) Kuntze Bambusa cyanostachya Kurz ex Gamble

Burmese bamboo, Jama Betua Bambusa polymorpha