Whorled bamboo, Giant stripy bamboo
Gigantochloa verticillata

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A bamboo. It grows 20-40 m high. It forms many tillers. The stems can be 25 cm thick. They have drooping tops. They are light green and have yellow stripes. The leaves are broadly sword shaped. They are 13-45 cm long by 2-7 cm wide.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical rainforests. It grows in the lowlands and up to 1,200 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, SE Asia (country/location of origin), Singapore, South America, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The young shoots are eaten as a vegetable. They are bitter.

Edible parts

Shoots

How it is grown

Plants are grown from sections of the rhizome.

Its other names

Local names

Awi andong, Awi gombong, Awi temen, Bamboo andong, Bamboo ater, Bambu belang raksasa, Buluh Jawa, Kayali, Pereng keles, Pring legi, Pring surat, Wa-pyu

Synonyms

Bambusa verticillata Willd.; Nastus verticillatus (Willd.) Sm.; and others