Mountain bamboo, African alpine bamboo
Oldeania alpina

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A bamboo. A very large hollow-stemmed grass. It usually grows 6-8 m tall but can grow 12-25 m tall. The stems are smooth and woody. They are yellow brown. They grow from fattened underground stems (rhizomes). A ring of thin branches grow from the joints at the upper ends. Leaves grow off these small branches. Stems can reach 7-10 cm across. The leaves are pale green and up to 20 cm long by 1 cm wide. Flowers are rarely seen. They are 10-20 cm long. After flowering the plant dies down.

There are about 150 Arundinaria species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. A bamboo found at high elevations in Uganda. It grows at 2,700-3,000 m altitude. If well watered it will grow at lower altitudes.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo DR, Congo R, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

How it is used for food

The shoots are used as food.

Edible parts

Shoots, vegetable

How it is grown

It is grown from sections of the underground stem. It can be grown from seed. These need regular watering. They can be transplanted out after 8-12 months.

It is a fast growing plant under good conditions.

Its other names

Local names

Banda, Kerkeha, Leemmicho, Mulonge, Mulongelonge, Murangi, Mwodi, Ol dean, Ol moloi, Umugano

Synonyms

Arundinaria alpina K. Schum.; Arundinaria fischeri K. Schum.; Arundinaria tolange K. Schum.; Oxytenanthera ruwensorensis Chiov.; Sinarundinaria alpina (K. Schum.) C. S. Chao & Renoize; Yushania alpina (K. Schum.) W. C. Lin;