Tinwa Bamboo
Cephalostachyum pergracile

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

Cephalostachyum pergracile is an evergreen Bamboo growing to 10 m (32ft) by 6 m (19ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. 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. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 10

Where it is found

Mixed deciduous forests, often growing with teak. It is vigorous in moister forests but stunted in the driest forests. Characteristic of low, hilly country, it thrives best on well-drained loams and usually grows in large stands.

E. Asia - southern China, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Central America, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

The canes are highly esteemed as a vessel for cooking glutinous rice. The green canes are used and, the fact of their being green and the presence of the fluid within, seems to render the fire incapable of burning these wooden cooking-pots. The bamboo casing also acts as a convenient container in which the cooked food can be carried whilst on journeys. The internodes of 1-year-old culms are used as casings for 'khaao laam', a popular Thai dessert comprising a mixture of glutinous rice, adzuki beans, coconut milk, sugar and salt. After grilling or baking, the whole dish is eaten, including the bamboo casing, which adds a specific fragrance to the meal. Young shoots - cooked. A bitter flavour.

Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 3

The canes are widely used in construction, (as house posts, walling mats, shingles etc) and as fishing rods. They are easily split into thin strips which are used for basketry, mat making etc. The outer green layer can be split very finely and is used to make handicrafts. The culms are also used as a raw material for paperpulp. A Good screening plant or feature.

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.

Containers: Plants, such as gourds, that can be used as containers. Does not include baskets or containers made from wood.

Paper: Related to the entry for Fibre, these plants have been specifically mentioned for paper making.

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.

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.

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

How it is grown

Grows best in the dappled shade of woodland. Prefers a moist, but well-drained soil. 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, flowers sporadically in most years, but does not then generally produce good seed. It also flowers gregariously at intervals of several years, at which time good seed is usually produced.

Propagating it: Seed

Best place to grow:

Habit: Bamboo

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Slow

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

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Khaao laam, Khauz hlam, Latang, Madang, Mai-pang, Paung-thin-wa, Phai-kaolarm, Phai-khaolam, Tinwa, Wa-ciaw,

Synonyms

Oxytenanthera aliena McClure Schizostachyum pergracile (Munro) R.B.Majumdar