Calamus simplicifolius

Cultivation Details

The plant succeeds in subtropical to tropical climates. It is moderately frost tolerant, though young leaves and new shoots may easily be damaged by temperatures of below -2°c^[1]. Prefers moisture in abundance and adequate light^[1]. Although seedlings require the support of pre-existing tree crops and forest canopy, they also require adequate sunlight for healthy and fast growth. The annual average growth rate of the stems growing under semi-shade canopy conditions is three times as high as that of stems growing in dense forest. However, young seedlings cannot withstand full sunlight throughout the day as young leaves may become scorched^[1]. Planting lines have to be cleared and the forest canopy has to be thinned to allow sufficient light through to reach the seedlings in the first three years after planting^[1] On a small scale, seedlings can be planted in scattered clumps in agroforestry systems; on a commercial scale the species can be planted in lines, on a grid of about 4 metres x 5 metres in logged-over forests or in planted broadleaved forests but the forest canopy should be manipulated to allow light to reach the seedlings. Group planting, 2 - 3 seedlings per clump, is considered to be suitable for this species^[1]. Three years after sowing, the first stem may exceed 1 metre in length, the first climbing whips are produced and 1 - 2 suckers in a clump may appear from very short horizontal rhizomes^[1]. Three to four years after establishment, the stem may grow at rates exceeding 200 - 250cm a year under suitable conditions. At 10 years old, a clump may consist of 12 aerial stems^[1]. Flowering begins in the 5th year after sowing, and is annual thereafter^[1]. In humid rain forest, its prime habitat, only one of the stems in a clump, rarely two, grows up to be a long aerial stem, reaching the forest canopy^[1]. Harvesting is carried out in the wild by dragging the stem out of the canopy, removing of the leaves, leaf-sheaths and debris, cutting the cane into lengths of about 4 - 5 metres, tying in bundles and transporting to the village for sale^[1]. It is estimated that 10 - 11 years after establishment the plantation will be ready for initial harvest, with an estimated yield of about 3.5 tonnes per hectare. It is also estimated that within a 25-year management period, canes may be harvested 5 times in a rotation of 5 years, providing a total yield of about 11.5 tonnes per hectare^[1].