Elephant grass, Clumping Bamboo
Ochlandra spp.

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

Ochlandra spp. is a BAMBOO growing to 6 m (19ft) by 3 m (9ft) 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. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 6

Where it is found

Various depending on the species.

Origin: S. Asia.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Endemic to the Western Ghats (India), except for one species from Sri Lanka.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 4

Some species for example Ochlandra travancorica have agroforestry Uses e.g. The plant is often grown along paddy fields, where it acts as a soil binder. The soil under this species in general is dark brown, acidic, sandy loam with granular structure, high porosity, good aggregate stability and with high water holding capacity. A comparison of soil under O. Travancorica with other species from natural forests reveals that this species is very efficient for soil conservation. Other Uses of Ochlandra travancorica include the leaves are used for thatching. The culms are in demand for making mats and baskets, umbrella handles, fishing rods, handicraft, and for making the walls of huts. The mats made from reeds are used for making 'Bamboo ply'. The culms are one of the most important sources of long-fibre raw material for paper pulp. The shoots, when 6 to 9 months old, constitute a splendid paper material. The fibre has been pronounced superior to esparto but the expense of chemicals required in the process make it uneconomic. Carbon Farming Solutions - Industrial Crop: biomass (Crops grown for non-food uses. Industrial crops provide resources in three main categories: materials, chemicals, and energy. Traditional materials include lumber and thatch, paper and cardboard, and textiles). Fodder: bank.

Fodder: Food given to the animals (including plants cut and carried to them) rather than forage for themselves.

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.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

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.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

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

How it is grown

Climate: tropical. Humidity: humid. Species include Ochlandra beddomei, Ochlandra ebracteata - India reed bamboo. Ochlandra keralensis. Ochlandra scriptoria - reed bamboo. Ochlandra setigera. Ochlandra sivagiriana. Ochlandra soderstromiana. Ochlandra spirostylis. Ochlandra stridula - Ceylon reed bamboo, Sri Lanka reed bamboo. Ochlandra talbotii. Ochlandra travancorica - elephant bamboo, India reed bamboo. Ochlandra wightii. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: regional crop. Management: managed multistem (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation).

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as they are ripe. They are sown in nursery beds filled with sand and soil mixture in partial shade initially for two months. Seedlings can be transplanted into their permanent positions after a period of one year. Rhizomes can be separated from the culms during the onset of the monsoon and used for field planting. Two-noded culm cuttings of two year old plants treated with NAA or coumarin by cavity method and planted horizontally in nursery beds during summer gives 50 per cent rooting. After one year, the rooted cuttings can be transplanted to the field. During field planting, many plantlets are obtained from the rooted cuttings by separating the sprouts along with the rhizome.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Bamboo

Hardiness: 10-12

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

Elephant grass, Ochlandra beddomei, Ochlandra ebracteata - India reed bamboo. Ochlandra keralensis. Ochlandra scriptoria - reed bamboo. Ochlandra setigera. Ochlandra sivagiriana. Ochlandra soderstromiana. Ochlandra spirostylis. Ochlandra stridula - Ceylon reed bamboo, Sri Lanka reed bamboo. Ochlandra talbotii. Ochlandra travancorica - elephant bamboo, India reed bamboo. Ochlandra wightii.

Synonyms

Many. See individual species.