Bambusa bambos aka Indian Thorny Bamboo

Bambusa bambos is a large bamboo in the grass family. It stays green all year. Its names include giant thorny bamboo and spiny bamboo. People also call it male bamboo. Its native range runs from the Indian subcontinent to Indo-China. It grows in wet tropical lands, often near rivers. It grows in moist forests and some drier forests too. People harvest wild plants and grow it across tropical Asia.

This bamboo grows fast and forms large clumps of woody stems. Sources give a height of about 98 feet [30 metres]. Some plants grow taller, but the sources give no upper limit. PFAF lists a spread of 82 feet [25 metres]. Its bright green stems have spines and can grow quite wide. Its leaves stay green all year. Clumps may reach 16 feet [5 metres] seven years after sowing. They can take about 20 years to reach full size. Full-grown clumps may hold dozens of stems, sometimes around 100.

Wind moves pollen from flower to flower. The sources do not say when it flowers. They give no details about its fruit. Seeds, sap, and young shoots have food uses. People cook the shoots as a vegetable. They use two fresh batches of water to cook them. This makes the shoots less bitter. People drink the sweet sap and eat the seeds. PFAF also lists several uses in Ayurvedic medicine. These include roots for joint pain and leaves for period pain. These are records of past use. They do not prove that the treatments work.

It grows best in warm, humid sites with rich, moist soil. It suits dappled shade but grows in full sun too. PFAF lists loam and clay soils that drain well. It prefers acid soil but can grow in neutral soil. PFAF gives USDA hardiness zones 10–12. Strong winds cause less trouble than coastal conditions. Its sharp spines pose a risk when handling it. PFAF warns that it may become a weed. It does not say how severe this risk is. The supplied evidence names no pests or diseases.

Its strong stems make useful farm windbreaks and hedges. PFAF says farm hedges need little care once established. People also plant it beside rivers to help limit floods. People use its stems for scaffolding, rafts, furniture, and paper. Other uses include baskets, containers, fibre, and string. Its large size and thorny stems matter when choosing a site.