Himalayan bamboo, Himalayan weeping bamboo
Drepanostachyum falcatum

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A bamboo. It grows to about 4 m high. The stems are not straight. They are about 2 cm across. They are branched. The stem is hollow. The nodes are swollen. The internodes are thin walled. Small branches come out from the nodes in clusters. The sheaths are papery and straw coloured. The base of the leaves wraps around the stem. The flower stalk is on a separate leafless stem. It is greenish.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. In Nepal it grows between 1000-2000 m altitude. It does well in shade. It can tolerate temperatures to -3°C.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, SE Asia

How it is used for food

The young shoots are cooked as a vegetable

Shoots are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Shoots

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by splitting the rhizome.

Its other names

Local names

Diu nigalo, Nigaalo, Nigalo, Rusey pinh pong

Synonyms

Arundinaria falcata Nees; Chimonomambusa falcata (Nees)Nakai; Sinarundinaria falcata (Nees) C.S.Chao & Renvoize;