Spiny bamboo, Thorny bamboo
Bambusa blumeana

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A spiny tufted bamboo. It grows up to 25 m high. The stems are 20 cm across. The internodes are usually hollow and from 40 to 60 cm long. The lower internodes are so thick walled they are almost solid. It grows in large clumps and the lower portion to 2 to 3 m is interlaced with spiny branches. The stems are smooth and green. Branches arise from the nodes. The culm sheath is 30 cm long by 22 cm wide. The back is covered with stiff hairs. The leaf blade is narrow and sword shaped. It is 15 cm long by 1.5 cm wide. Young shoots have yellowish green sheaths and blades. Plants flower very rarely. It may only flower every 20-30 years. The plants die after flowering.

There are about 120 Bambusa species. They are tropical and subtropical in Asia. It is used to make chopsticks in the Philippines. Chemical composition; Young shoots per 100 g edible portion: Water 89 g, protein 4 g, fat 0.5 g, carbohydrates 4 g, fibre 1 g, ash 1 g, Ca 37 mg, P 40 mg, Fe 1.5 mg Vitamin B1 0.1 mg, Vitamin C 10 mg. The energy value is about 120 kJ/100 g.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. Throughout the Philippines at low and medium altitudes. It grows up to 300 m altitude. It is normally always planted. It can tolerate flooding. It does best with a pH of 5-6.5. It cannot tolerate salty soils. In XTBG Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Cambodia, China, Guam, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Myanmar, Pacific, Palau, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Yap

How it is used for food

The young shoots are cooked and eaten. They are usually shredded. They are used in soup.

Edible parts

Shoots, vegetable

How it is grown

It can be grown from cuttings of the culm or stem. These send up thin stems and culms develop after 3 years. The number of culms produced increases each year until maturity. Cuttings of the culm about 50 cm long are used. They are planted horizontally at 10 cm depth. Rooting is helped by using rooting hormone. Plants are spaced at 8-10 m apart.

A clump with 10-40 culms can produce 30 shoots per year. Shoots emerge after the rainy season and can be harvested after 7-15 days. About 6-7 edible shoots can be harvested per clump per year.

Its other names

Local names

Bambu duri, Bambu gesing, Buloh duri, Buloh sikai, Gesing bamboo, Haur chuchuk, Haur cucuk, Kauayan-tinik, Kida, Mai phai ban, Phai-sisuk, Phaix banz, Piao lahe, Pio titoca, Pring gesing, Pring ori, Rusay roleak, Ru'ssei roliek, Tituka, Tre gai, Tre la nga

Synonyms

Bambusa pungens Blanco; Bambusa spinosa Roxb.; Bambusa spinosa Blume ex Nees [Illegitimate]; Bambusa stenostachya Hack.; Bambusa teba Miq.; Ischurochloa stenostachya (Hack.) Nakai; Schizostachyum durie Rupr.; Bambusa arundo Blanco; ?