Bambusa polymorpha

Bamboo Species

7 Jan

Bambusa polymorpha, commonly known as Burmese Bamboo, is a large dense clumping tropical bamboo native to Bangladesh, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand. It is a bamboo of many uses with sweet tasting edible shoots.

Plant Info
Scientific Name	Bambusa polymorpha
Synonyms	Arundarbor polymorpha, Bambusa cyanostachya
Common Names	Burmese Bamboo
Family	Poaceae
Tribe	Bambuseae
Genus	Bambusa
Height	15 - 25 m
Diameter	7 - 15 cm
Growth Habit	Dense Clumping
Color	Light green or grayish white when young.
Internodes	40 - 60 cm
Wall thickness	10-20 mm (occasionally solid near the base).
Branches	Several or many clustered branches with 1-3 larger branches.
Leaves	7-17 cm long, 7-12 mm wide.
Climate	Tropical - Subtropical
Exposure	Full Sun - Partial Sun
Hardiness	0°C
Soil	Loamy and alluvial soils, fertile and well drained.
Water Needs	Average.
Planting Distance	• Every 3 m for screening. • 7 x 7 m for culm production.
Edibility	(4 of 5)
Flowering Cycle	35-80 years
Origin	Bangladesh, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand.
Uses	Construction, furniture, basketry, weaving, handicrafts, paper pulp, food, laminated boards, landscaping.

Rhizomes

Bambusa polymorpha has short pachymorph rhizomes which means that it grows in densely tufted clumps.

Culms

This is a medium to large size densely tufted bamboo with culms between 15-25 m tall. Culm internodes are on average 40-60 cm long with 7-15 cm in diameter. The color of the culms is light green or white grey when young to greyish-green and have relatively thick walls of 1-2 cm (occasionally solid near the base). The thick lower nodes are rooted.

Shoots

Young shoots have a brownish-green color, and are covered with dark brown hairs.

Branches

Bambusa polymorpha has several to many clustered branches with 1-3 larger dominant branches. Branches usually occur from middle of the culm to the top.

Leaves

Leaves are lance-shaped and 7-17 cm long and 7-12 mm wide.

Seeds

Both gregarious and sporadic flowering occurs every 35-80 years.

Habitat

Bambusa polymorpha grows naturally in semi-humid areas on deep, fertile, well-drained alluvial and loamy soil. It usually occurs on low hill slopes along valleys, mixed with deciduous forests and among teak (Tectona grandis).

Mechanical Properties

Fiber stress at elastic limit is 13.6 and 16.1 N/mm2, modulus of rupture 28.3 and 35.5 N/mm2, modulus of elasticity 3.1 and 4.1 kN/mm2 in green and air-dry conditions respectively.

Plant Spacing

Living fence: Every 3 m
Erosion control: 3 x 3 m (1111 plants/ha)
Medium sized culm production: 5 x 5 m (400 plants/ha)
Large sized culm production: 7 x 7 m (204 plants/ha)

Uses

Bambusa polymorpha is a bamboo with many uses. Culms are used for house construction, woven matting, baskets, furniture, handicrafts, and as a raw material for paper pulp and board making. This bamboo produces edible shoots with a distinctly sweet taste. It is also a graceful species suitable for landscaping.