Dendrocalamus Giganteus

Characteristics and Identification

Dendrocalamus giganteus is the tallest of all bamboos with gigantic large culms. This bamboo species grows in tropical and subtropical moist areas and produces a large amount of biomass. It can give an annual yield of 20 to 30 t/ha, which is 2.7 times more than that of Dendrocalamus latiflorus.

Dendrocalamus giganteus is one among the twelve high yielding bamboos worth raising as a large scale bamboo plantation, as it is very good for construction, paper production and young shoots are good for vegetable products.

Dendrocalamus giganteus | Courtesy: BambooWeb

Common name for Dendrocalamus giganteus: Giant bamboo

Rhizome characteristics of Dendrocalamus giganteus:

• Short rhizomes; pachymorph / sympodial

 

Culm characteristics of Dendrocalamus giganteus:

• Average height: 24-30m.
• Average diameter: 20-30cm.
• Internodes: 35-45cm long.
• Cylindrical woody culms; thick-walled usually 2-2.5cm.
• Dull green to dark bluish green culms.
• Culms are covered with a white waxy crust when young.
• Lower nodes have root scars.

 

Culm-sheath characteristics of Dendrocalamus giganteus:

• Culm-sheaths falling off at maturity, leathery texture, purple, covered with short dark brown hairs, prominent auricles, hairless on shoulders.
• Culm-sheath ligule 6–13 mm high, stiff, dark, covered with minute hairs, tooth-shaped.
• Culm-sheaths 30-50 cm long and broad, falling early, hard, smooth, shining within, dull yellow and covered with dark-brown hairs on the back.
• Culm-sheaths auricles prominent, brown, crisped.
• Culm-sheaths blade 13-38 cm long and up to 9 cm broad, spreading at right angles, stiff, tapering to a point, edges curved inward.
• Young shoots cone shaped, pinkish brown, hairless, bluish-green on maturity; auricles very small or absent; blades sharply pointed, generally bent.

 

Branch characteristics of Dendrocalamus giganteus:

• Branch complement many, with 1 branch dominant.

 

Leaf characteristics of Dendrocalamus giganteus:

• Leaf-blades lance-shaped, 15–45 cm long, 30–70 mm wide, leaf sides of unequal length or form, smooth above, hairy beneath.
• 5–15 leaves per branch.
• Ligule an eciliate membrane 3 mm long, jagged.
• Leaf-blade base with a brief leaf stalk-like connection to sheath 3-5 mm long.
• Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins.
• Leaf-blade margins rough to the touch.
• Leaf auricle small, hairless.

 

Flowering characteristics of Dendrocalamus giganteus:

• Flowering cycle is reported to be about 40 years.

 

Uses of Dendrocalamus giganteus:

• Dendrocalamus giganteus is used as a structural timber of strong superior quality. It is mostly used for building and making bamboo boards and parquet.
• It is also useful as water pipes and household implements such as vases, buckets, water pitchers and various decorative purposes.
• Great bamboo for furniture making.
• Shoots can be eaten and canned and of very good quality.
• Also used as boat masts or for scaffolding.
• The raw material (pulp) is better than that of Dendrocalamus strictus for paper-making.
• The culm sheaths are used to make hats.

 

Native Distribution of Dendrocalamus giganteus:

Dendrocalamus giganteus Distribution Map

Dendrocalamus giganteus occurs in humid tropical to subtropical regions, usually on richer soils, up to 1200 m, it tolerates temperatures up to -2°C.

Dendrocalamus giganteus grows native in Southern Myanmar and North West Thailand, it is introduced and cultivated in various countries including: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, South China, Indonesia, Malay Peninsula and the Philippines.