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Bambusa balcooa
Poaceae FAMILY

Bambusa balcooa

Bambusa balcooa

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Bamboo
Growth—

Bambusa balcooa is a plant of the lowland tropics, where it can be found at altitudes up to 600 metres[1]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 28°c, but can tolerate 9 - 35°c[2]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,300 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 700 - 4,500mm[2], typically growing in a tropical monsoon climate with a dry season of up to 6 months[1]. Succeeds in full sun and in dappled shade[2]. Succeeds in any type of soil but prefers heavy textured soils with good drainage and pH of about 5.5[1]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 7.5[2]. Bamboos have an interesting method of growth. Each plant produces a number of new stems annually - these stems grow to their maximum height in their first year of growth, subsequent growth in the stem being limited to the production of new side branches and leaves. In the case of some mature tropical species the new stem could be as much as 30 metres tall, with daily increases in height of 30cm or more during their peak growth time. This makes them some of the fastest-growing species in the world[PFAF]. The shoots emerge above the ground during the rainy season and reach full culm length within 2 - 3 months. The lateral branches develop simultaneously with the elongation of the culm. A culm becomes mature in 3 - 4 years. It seems advisable to start harvesting mature culms about 6 years after planting; selective cutting may encourage new culms to develop[1]. Bamboos in general are usually monocarpic, living for many years before flowering, then flowering and seeding profusely for a period of 1 - 3 years before usually dying. The flowering cycle of this species is estimated at 35 - 45 years[1].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in containers as soon as it is ripe, preferably at a temperature around 20°c. Do not allow the compost to dry out. Germination usually takes place fairly quickly so long as the seed is of good quality, though it can take 3 - 6 months. Prick out the seedlings into containers when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a lightly shaded place until large enough to plant out. Plants only flower at intervals of many years and so seed is rarely available. Division as new growth commences[3]. Take divisions with at least three canes in the clump, trying to cause as little root disturbance to the main plant as possible. Grow them on in light shade in pots of a high fertility sandy medium. Mist the foliage regularly until plants are established. Plant them out into their permanent positions when a good root system has developed, which can take a year or more[4]. Plants can be propagated vegetatively by rhizome, culm and branch cuttings. The propagules are raised in a nursery and after they have produced roots and developed rhizomes they are planted out in the field during the rainy season in pits filled with a mixture of compost and soil[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-19. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Bambusa+balcooa>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Plant Resources of Southeast Asia — http://proseanet.org/ ↩︎Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
  2. [2]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
  3. [3]Bamboos of Nepal — Stapleton. C. · The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · 1994 · ISBN 0947643680 ↩︎An excelllent little booklet that looks in some detail at the native bamboos of Nepal, including looking at their uses.
  4. [4]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  5. [5]Plants and People of Nepal — Manandhar. N. P. · Timber Press. Oregon. · 2002 · ISBN 0-88192-527-6 ↩︎Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
  6. [6]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
  7. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎