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Dendrocalamus brandesii - (Munro) Kurz

Common Name Velvet Leaf Bamboo, Clumping Bamboo
Family Poaceae
USDA hardiness 9-10
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Wet, evergreen tropical forest, at elevations up to 1,300 metres[310].
Range E. Asia - southern China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Andamans.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (4 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Moist Soil Full sun
Dendrocalamus brandesii Velvet Leaf Bamboo, Clumping Bamboo


Stickpen wikimedia.org
Dendrocalamus brandesii Velvet Leaf Bamboo, Clumping Bamboo
Stickpen wikimedia.org

 

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Summary

Sometimes misspelt as Dendrocalamus brandesii


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Dendrocalamus brandesii is an evergreen Bamboo growing to 25 m (82ft) by 10 m (32ft) 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 and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Arundarbor brandisii (Munro) Kuntze. Bambusa brandisii Munro

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Shoots
Edible Uses:

The young shoots are used as a vegetable[310, 361].

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  Furniture  Wood

The culms are used for building purposes, furniture, farm implements, baskets and other woven wares and handicrafts[310 ]. This is one of the strongest and largest bamboos for construction purposes[310 ]. Harvesting may start 3 - 4 years after a clump has begun to produce culms of maximum size. Only culms older than 3 years are harvestable and harvesting should never be done during the growing season. It is recommended to cut the culms lower than 30cm above the ground level, but not below the 2nd node. Debris and cut branches should always be removed completely[310 ]. Carbon Farming - Industrial Crop: biomass. Other Systems: strip intercrop, multistrata.

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 warm, moist tropics, where it can be cound at elevations up to 1,300 metres[310 ]. The plant is frequently found on limestone, but it also grows well on well-drained loamy soils[310 ]. 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 ]. The young shoots of this species emerge above the soil during the rainy season and develop to their full height in 4 - 6 months. After that the lateral branches start to develop. A culm becomes mature in 3 - 4 years[310 ]. 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. Very often, all the specimens of one species in a given area will all come into flowering at the same time. This species flowers sporadically as well as gregariously. Its life cycle is not known; in India an interval of 45 - 50 years between two gregarious flowerings has been reported[310 ]. Climate: subtropical to tropical. Humidity: humid. Carbon Farming - Cultivation: minor global crop. Management: managed multistem.

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

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Plant Propagation

Seed - many, if not all, members of this genus have a short viability and should be sown within 2 - 3 months of harvest. Sow in containers in a lightly shaded position and only just cover. Germination usually takes place readily. Prick out into individual pots as soon as the plants are large enough to handle. Plant out into permanent positions when 20cm tall. Plants may remain in their low-growing juvenile state for several years - cutting the culms to the ground level can stimulate taller adult growth[200]. Rhizome, culm and branch cuttings[310]. The propagules are raised in the nursery and after they have produced roots they are planted out in the field before or during the first half of the rainy season[310].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Dendrocalamus brandisii , Velvet Leaf Bamboo, Teddy Bear Bamboo, or Sweet Dragon Bamboo

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Origin: India: north-eastern part (Manipur), and Andaman Islands; Burma: from the Kachin hills to Tavoy (Tenasserim) up to 1,200 m altitude; Thailand: northern part at 1,000 - 1,300 m altitude; Laos; Vietnam: Tonkin; China: Yunnan at 380 - 1,900 m altitude.

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
Dendrocalamus asperGiant Bamboo, Dragon bamboo, Sweet bambooBamboo15.0 10-12 FLMHNM403
Dendrocalamus giganteusGiant Bamboo, Bhalu bans, Dhungre bansBamboo30.0 9-12 FLMHSNM214
Dendrocalamus hamiltoniiTama Bamboo. Tufted bambooBamboo15.0 10-12 FLMHSNM303
Dendrocalamus hookeriBhalu bans, Bhutan Green BambooBamboo20.0 10-12 FLMHSNM203
Dendrocalamus latiflorusSweet Bamboo, Sweet bamboo shoot, Taiwan giant bambooBamboo20.0 10-12 FLMHNM402
Dendrocalamus membranaceusWhite bambooBamboo15.0 10-12 FLMHSNDM304
Dendrocalamus strictusMale Bamboo. Calcutta Stricta or BambooBamboo15.0 9-12 FLMHSNDM313

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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(Munro) Kurz

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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