Thorny bamboo (Bambusa arundinacea) | Gardening enabled

Bambusa arundinacea has thorns

Image – Flickr/Dinesh Valke

Normally, when we think of a bamboo, we imagine a plant with many stems, more or less thick, which reach impressive heights and which, yes, can have very invasive roots. But, what would you say if I told you that there is one who also protects himself with thorns? Its scientific name is Bambusa arundinaceabetter known as prickly bamboo or spiny bamboo.

This plant, despite its appearance, has other uses in traditional medicine. So let’s see What are its characteristics and how should it be taken care of?

Contents

How is the Bambusa arundinacea?

Bambusa arundinacea is a type of giant bamboo

Image – Flickr/Dinesh Valke

Our protagonist is a plant native to Asia, especially China and India. It can reach 30 meters high in a few years, developing relatively thick bluish green stems or canes, about fifteen centimeters. The leaves are elongated and green. Its thorns grow from certain nodes and are about ten centimeters long.

The flowers appear in inflorescences, that is to say in an equally terminal floral stem; that is, when the flowers wither, they will die. These are very small, whitish in color. And as for the seeds, they look like peeled pipes but a little more elongated, since they measure about 1.5 centimeters.

In popular parlance, it receives the following names: thorny bamboo, spiny bamboo, Indian bamboo and giant bamboo.

What are the given uses?

The Bambusa arundinacea it is a type of bamboo that is used for various things. For instance:

  • As it grows quickly and has thorns, it is interesting to have it as defensive hedge.
  • Their canes are used for make scaffolding, furniture, etc..
  • In their places of origin, they have also medical uses. Indeed, according to Ayurvedic medicine, it can be used to relieve the symptoms of rheumatism, or in case of brittle nails, fragile or brittle hair, or even in case of fatigue or back pain.

What are the care Bambusa arundinacea?

Thorny bamboo is a giant plant

Image – Wikimedia/Adbh266

The giant bamboo is a plant that you might think does not need any care, but the reality is quite different, especially when you find it in a place where the climate is very different from that of its place of origin. origin. In this direction, it is very important for you to know that the colder it is in your area, the slower it will growbecause low temperatures not only slow it down, but can also be life-threatening.

From there, we will comment on the care that must be given to this bamboo so that it is good:

Where do I put it?

If we assume that it is a plant that can become huge, we can think that it would be better to plant it in the garden as soon as possible. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s more, It can only be planted in the ground if there are never frosts in your area. And even so, you have the possibility of keeping it in a pot for a time that will be more or less short depending on the climate and the care you give it.

But in any case, it must be placed in a place exposed to direct sunlightso that it can grow more or less straight and not twisted.

What soil do you need?

The Bambusa arundinacea is not demanding in this respect: can grow in virtually any type of soil. But if you are going to have it in a pot, we advise you to plant it in a pot with a quality universal substrate, such as those of these brands: Weedness, Fertiberia or Flower.

When can it be transplanted?

the giant bamboo can be planted in the ground or in a larger pot in spring. It must be done when the roots come out of the holes, because if it has not yet taken root well in the pot, then it will be more difficult for it to resume its growth once in the garden or in a new container.

How often should it be watered?

Not a lot. We’re not talking about a drought-resistant plant, but it’s not one that needs frequent watering either. It’s more, with about 3 weekly waterings in summer, or 4 if we see that the soil dries quickly, it will be fine.

When the temperatures begin to drop, we will begin to space out the waterings more, since this is when the soil will stay moist for longer and longer.

Does thorny bamboo need to be fertilized?

There may be more than one and more than two who disagree with me, but if it has to be in a jar, I recommend paying for it. Because? Because the roots absorb the nutrients that the soil contains, and if we do not fertilize it, it will eventually become depleted and its growth will stop.

For this reason, it does not hurt to give it a little fertilizer once a month, so that it can continue to grow without problems. For this, it can be paid with guano (on sale here) for example, by following the instructions.

What is its resistance to cold?

Bambusa arundinacea is a huge plant

Image – Flickr/Dinesh Valke

The Bambusa arundinacea does not tolerate sub-zero temperatures. As soon as we see that the thermometer drops below 5ºC, we can protect it with an antifreeze cloth or inside the house.

What do you think of this type of bamboo?

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