Dendrocalamus strictus – Male Bamboo – 5 Seed Pack

Dendrocalamus strictus, the Male Bamboo, is native to India. It reaches from 8 to 16 meters high with a diameter of 8 cm. In cooler zones it will be shorter and can be grown in container. The stems have many uses. Bamboos are cultivated for fast growing erosion control, privacy screens, and wind breaks, and the bamboo can be trimmed to the desired height. The Male bamboo is pale blue when young and becomes greenish grey or yellow as it ages. The top half of the stems tends to curve. It is in leaf all year. The leaves of the Male bamboo are up to 25 cm long and 3 cm wide with a pointy tip. There is soft hair underneath them. The inflorescence has nothing particular; it consists of a large panicle of greenish white flowers. Each bamboo stem has the same diameter from top to bottom. The young shoots are very fast growing, up to 30cm per day. Dendrocalamus strictus grows in regions where annual rainfall is between 750 and 4000 mm. It resists to frost and drought, but prefers regions with low humidity and well-drained soil. Bamboos are not particular when it comes to soil type. A neutral soil mixed with sand is better. Most importantly, the soil must be well-drained and rich, because Dendrocalamus strictus doesn’t grow in waterlogged soil. Bamboos can also tolerate full sun or partial shade. They have average water needs. Keep the soil moist. Young shoots are edible and used as food. Leaves are used as forage, and decoction of leaves and nodes and silicious matter is used in traditional medicine.