Dendrocalamus brandisii

Dendrocalamus brandisii also known as Velvet Leaf Bamboo, Teddy Bear Bamboo, or Sweet Dragon Bamboo is one of the largest tropical clumping bamboos in the world. It grows native in Southeast Asia and is often used as a building material.


Summary

Height 19 - 33 m
Diameter 13 - 20 cm
Growth Habit Dense Clumping
Climate Tropical - Subtropical
Hardiness -3°C
Origin Southeast Asia

Photos

Dendrocalamus brandisii
Photo by: Stéphane Schröder © www.guaduabamboo.com


Culms

Dendrocalamus brandisii is a very large evergreen tufted bamboo. Culms have an ashy-gray to greenish-gray color and are on average between 19-33 m high and 13-20 cm diameter. The thick walled internodes are between 30-38 cm long. Nodes are slightly swollen with rootlets showing on the lowest nodes. Young shoots are dark-gray with a dark-brown blade.


Branches

Many clustered branches with 1 larger dominant branch. 


Leaves

The arrow-shaped leaves are between 20-30 cm long and 2.5-5 cm broad, and have minuscule short white hairs covering the leaf surface when young.


Seeds

The species is known to flower sporadically as well as gregariously. Gregarious flowering was last reported in 1987-1988 in Manipur. 


Habitat

Dendrocalamus brandisii grows best in wet evergreen tropical forests up to 1,300 m altitude. This bamboo grows on different soil types but prefer well-drained loamy soil.


Uses

Culms are used for building construction, boat masts, furniture, farm implements, water pots, basketry, handicrafts, paper making. Shoots are edible and consumed as a vegetable.


Origin

Dendrocalamus brandisii Distribution Map

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; LaosVietnam: Tonkin; China: Yunnan at 380 - 1,900 m altitude.


Recommended Reading


Stéphane Schröder

Guadua Bamboo SAS

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