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Bambusa nutans - Wall. ex Munro

Common Name Nodding Bamboo, Mai bong
Family Poaceae
USDA hardiness 9-10
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Moist hill slopes and flat uplands in well-drained sandy loam to clayey loam soils at elevations from 700 - 1,500 metres[ 361 ].
Range E. Asia - India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (4 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Bambusa nutans Nodding Bamboo, Mai bong


https://edibleplants.org/
Bambusa nutans Nodding Bamboo, Mai bong
https://edibleplants.org/

 

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Summary

Bambusa nutans is a tropical plant found in Southeast Asia that grows up to 6-15 m tall. It is a graceful bamboo that can be used as an ornamental. The shoots of this species are cooked. The culm has various uses, mainly as poles. It is a source of fibre used in making papers in India.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Bambusa nutans is an evergreen Bamboo growing to 12 m (39ft) by 5 m (16ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Arundarbor nutans (Munro) Kuntze Bambusa crinita Thomson ex Munro Bambusa falconeri Munro

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Shoots
Edible Uses:

Edible portion: Shoots. Shoots - cooked[ 317 ].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Biomass  Fencing  Fibre  Paper  Shelterbelt  Wood

Other uses rating: High (4/5). Agroforestry Uses: The plant is sometimes used to provide shelter for tea plantations[ 317 ]. Other Uses The culm is good, strong, straight. It is used locally for various purposes, mainly as poles[ 361 ]. It is a major source of fibre for the paper industry in India[ 361 ].

Special Uses

Carbon Farming  Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Industrial Crop: Biomass  Management: Managed Multistem  Minor Global Crop  Other Systems: Multistrata  Other Systems: Strip intercrop

A plant of the tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,600 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 28c, but can tolerate 9 - 32c[ 418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,300 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 700 - 4,500mm[ 418 ]. Succeeds in full sun and in dappled shade[ 418 ]. Grows best in a fertile, heavy soil[ 418 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 7.5[ 418 ]. 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[ K ]. 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.

Carbon Farming

  • Industrial Crop: Biomass  Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels
  • Management: Managed Multistem  Regularly removing some multiple stems. A non-A non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
  • Minor Global Crop  These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.
  • Other Systems: Multistrata  Multistrata agroforests feature multiple layers of trees often with herbaceous perennials, annual crops, and livestock.
  • Other Systems: Strip intercrop  Tree crops grown in rows with alternating annual crops.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant Propagation

Seed

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Nodding Bamboo, Mai bong

Native Range

TROPICAL ASIA: Assam, Bangladesh, East Himalaya, India, Laos, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, West Himalaya,

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Bambusa atraClumping Bamboo. Long pipe bamboo.Bamboo8.0 10-12 FLMHNMWe203
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Bambusa blumeanaSpiny Bamboo. Spiny bamboo, Thorny bambooBamboo20.0 10-12 FMHNM203
Bambusa heterostachyaMalay Dwarf GreenBamboo8.0 10-12 FLMHSNM003
Bambusa multiplexHedge Bamboo, Chinese Goddess BambooBamboo4.5 8-11 FLMSNM203
Bambusa odashimaeOdashimae BambooBamboo15.0 9-12 FLMHSNM400
Bambusa oldhamiiRyoku-Chiku, Giant Timber Bamboo, Oldham's BambooBamboo6.0 9-12  LMHSNM203
Bambusa pervariabilisClumping BambooBamboo8.0 9-11 FLMHSNM304
Bambusa polymorphaBurmese bamboo, Jama BetuaBamboo12.0 9-12 FLMHSNM204
Bambusa textilisClumping Bamboo. Weaver's bambooBamboo8.0 7-11 FLMHSNM304
Bambusa tuldaBengal Bamboo. Spineless Indian bambooBamboo15.0 10-12 FLMHSNM204
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Chimonobambusa marmoreaKan-ChikuBamboo1.5 5-9 FLMHSNM103
Chimonobambusa pachystachysThorny BambooBamboo5.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Chimonobambusa purpurea Bamboo5.0 -  LMHSNM102
Chimonobambusa quadrangularisSquare BambooBamboo3.0 5-9  LMHSM203
Chimonobambusa szechuanensis Bamboo5.0 -  LMHFSNM103

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Author

Wall. ex Munro

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

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