We depend on donations from users of our database of over 8000 edible and useful plants to keep making it available free of charge and to further extend and improve it. In recent months donations are down, and we are spending more than we receive. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Drepanostachyum falcatum - (Nees.)Keng.

Common Name Ringal
Family Poaceae or Gramineae
USDA hardiness 7-10
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Forms dense thickets in evergreen oak forests that are usually damp, to 3600 metres[11, 51].
Range E. Asia - Himalayas.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Frost Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade
Drepanostachyum falcatum Ringal


Drepanostachyum falcatum Ringal

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Drepanostachyum falcatum is an evergreen Bamboo growing to 3.5 m (11ft 6in) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in leaf all year. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Arundinaria falcata. Bambusa gracilis. B. falcata. Chimonobambusa falcata. (Nees.)Nakai.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Shoots  Stem
Edible Uses:

Young shoots - cooked[25]. Used as a vegetable[272]. They are also fermented and preserved in Nepal to form a dish called tama[272]. Tama is sour and has a very strong flavour, it is sometimes mixed in vegetable curries[272].

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

Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.

An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.

Read More

FOOD FOREST PLANTS

Other Uses

Basketry  Soil stabilization  Weaving

The canes are used for making hats, baskets, rods etc[46, 51, 61, 272]. The culms are not very straight, and they have rather swollen nodes, which make them not very suitable as a weaving material[220]. Nevertheless, they are still widely used for this purpose in the Himalayas[220]. They are also used in construction[195]. They are about 2cm in diameter[220]. The plant is used as a very effective soil stabilizer in Nepal[220].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers an open loam of reasonable quality and plenty of moisture in the growing season[1]. Requires a sheltered position[25]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is only reliably hardy in the milder areas of Britain[1, 11, 25, 162], tolerating temperatures down to about -6°c. In most parts of the country it is best grown in a conservatory. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[200]. Plants flower quite frequently in Britain and often produce viable seed[11]. When they do come into flower most of the plants energies are directed into producing seed and consequently the plant is severely weakened. They sometimes die after flowering, but if left alone they will usually recover though they will look very poorly for a few years. If fed with artificial NPK fertilizers at this time the plants are more likely to die[122]. The rootstock is caespitose, new shoots are produced from late May[25].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.

Shop Now

Propagation

Seed - surface sow as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse at about 20°c. Do not allow the compost to dry out. Germination usually takes place fairly quickly so long as the seed is of good quality, though it can take 3 - 6 months. Grow on in a lightly shaded place in the greenhouse until large enough to plant out. Seed is rarely available. Division in spring as new growth commences. Take divisions with at least three canes in the clump, trying to cause as little root disturbance to the main plant as possible. Grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse in pots of a high fertility sandy medium. Mist the foliage regularly until plants are established. Plant them out into their permanent positions when a good root system has developed, which can take a year or more[200]. Basal cane cuttings.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

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

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.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther

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.

 

Print Friendly and PDF

Expert comment

Author

(Nees.)Keng.

Botanical References

1151200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Drepanostachyum falcatum  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.