Clumping Bamboo. Long pipe bamboo.
Bambusa atra
Family: Poaceae
What it is like
Bambusa atra Lindl. is a synonym of Neololeba atra (Lindl.) Widjaja
Bambusa atra is an evergreen Bamboo growing to 8 m (26ft) by 2 m (6ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.
Height (m): 8
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands and usually in wet soil. It can grow on limestone. River banks, margins of disturbed lower montane forest, and on lower hill slopes, often on limestone; at low elevations.
Southeast Asia - Philippines, Indonesia (Molukus) to New Guinea and northern Australia.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam. Native to the Philippines, Sulawesi, Maluku, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, and Queensland. It is an exotic species in Indian subcontinent countries, such as India and Sri Lanka.
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Edible Portion: Shoots, Cereal, Seeds.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 3
The thin-walled culm is used locally in basketry and other handicrafts. The culm is used for making water pipes, arrow heads and as a casual drinking vessel. Strips of the culms are used as binding material in roofings, fish traps and screens. The dead canes of this species are useful when lighting camp fires, even in wet weather. Carbon Farming - Industrial Crop: biomass. Other Systems: strip intercrop, multistrata.
Basketry: Plant used in making baskets and other items such as chairs. Includes plants that are only used as an ornamental addition.
Biomass: Provides a large quantity of plant material that can be converted into fuel etc.
String: Plants that can be used for string or can be easily made into a string. See also Fibre. Plants for ropes may be included.
Tinder: Used for starting fires. See also Kindling.
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.
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.
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
Climate: subtropical to tropical, tropical highlands. Humidity: humid. 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. This species, however, is reported to flower regularly in cultivation without dying, though these specimens do not set seed. Carbon Farming - Cultivation: minor global crop. Management: managed multistem.
Propagating it: Seed
Best place to grow:
Habit: Bamboo
Hardiness: 10-12
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist, wet
Things to keep in mind
Its other names
Local names
Long Pipe Bamboo, New Guinea Thin-walled Bamboo, Guagua bamboo, Loleba, Nena. Neololeba atra
Synonyms
Arundarbor atra (Lindl.) Kuntze. Arundarbor picta (Lindl.) Kuntze. Arundarbor prava (Lindl.) Kuntze. Arundarbor tenuis (Munro) Kuntze. Arundinaria cobonii F.M.Bailey. Arundinaria papuana K.Schum. & Lauterb. Bambusa atra Lindl. Bambusa forbesii (Ridl.) Holttum. Bambusa papuana (Lauterb. & K.Schum.) K.Schum. Bambusa picta Lindl. Bambusa prava Lindl. Bambusa tenuis Munro. Dendrocalamus forbesii Ridl. Dendrocalamus multispiculatus K.Schum. & Lauterb. Dendrocalamus papuanus (Lauterb. & K.Schum.) Pilg. Gigantochloa novoguineensis Rendle. Leleba alba Rumph. ex Schult. Leleba nigra Rumph. ex Schult. Leleba picta Rumph. ex Schult. Leleba prava Rumph. ex Schult.