Giant thorny bamboo, Spiny bamboo
Bambusa bambos

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A densely tufted bamboo. The culm or stem is 30 m tall. It is 1`5-18 cm across. The wall is very thick. The internodes are 20-40 cm long. The stem is bright green. The nodes are slightly swollen. The lower nodes can have aerial roots. There are branches from the nodes. The lower branches have spines which curve backwards. The sheath of the stem is 15-35 cm long by 18-30 cm wide. It is wrinkled at the top. It is brown and hairy when young. It falls off as the branches develop. The leaf blade is sword shaped and 6-22 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. The flowering stalk is at the end of the leafy branches. After the bunch flowers, seeds are set and the clump dies.

There are about 120 Bambusa species. They are tropical and subtropical in Asia. Chemical composition: Seeds per 100 g edible portion. Water 8 g, Protein 13.5 g, carbohydrates 73 g, fibre 1 g, fat 0.4 g, ash 1.7 g, calcium 87 mg, P 163 mg. Shoots per 100 g edible portion. Water 87-88 g, protein 3.9-4.4 g, fat 0.5 g, carbohydrates 5.5 g, fibre 1 g, ash 1 g, Ca 20-24 mg, P 40-65 mg, Fe 0.1-0.4 mg Vit A 76 IU, Vit B1 0.16 mg, Vit B2 0.05 mg Vit C 0.3-0.5 mg The energy value is about 185 kJ/100g. Young shoots contain HCN so should be cooked.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in hot tropical climates. It is best in river valleys. It grows in mixed moist deciduous forest. AIt grows up to 1,000 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Central America, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, NIcaragua, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The shoots should be cooked to remove the bitter cyanide. The water should be changed. They are often pickled then eaten. The seeds are used for flour.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Shoots, seeds, cereal

How it is grown

It can easily be grown from seed. It can be grown by cuttings of the rhizome or the stem. Fresh seed germinate in 5-10 days. Seeds can be stored for 6 months at cool temperatures and in dry condition. Seedlings are normally kept in a nursery for 2 years before planting out. When stem cuttings are used stems with 1-3 nodes are planted horizontally. They are treated with root promoting hormones. A spacing of 6 m is suitable.

A clump from seed reaches about 5 m high in 7 years. It achieves full growth of 25-50 stems in 20 years. A 1000 seeds weigh 11.6 g. Flowering occurs between 16-45 years.

Its other names

Local names

Bambu berduri, Bambu duri, Bans, Baroowa, Behor, Biduru, Bonga-vedura, Chek sudo, Daba, Kalak, Kanta bans, Kantabanso, Karil, Kating, Kattaekalli, Kayalkkali, Ketua, Ketuasi, Ketwa, Kharra, Kotoba, Kotoha, Kya-kat-wa, Kyakat-wa, Moongil, Mulankumpu, Mulkas veduru, Mullu veduru, Naw mai phai paa, Nga-chat-wa, Phai-pa, Phaix pax, Pring ori, Russei khlei, Russei prei, Schee, Saneibi, Thorny bamboo, Tre gai rung, Tre laf ngaf

Synonyms

See Bambusa arundinacea Arundo bambos L.; Arundo arundinacea Retz.; Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.) Willd.; Bambusa spinosa Roxb.;