Bambusa oldhamii aka Giant Timber Bamboo

Bambusa oldhamii is a bamboo in the grass family. It stays green all year. Gardeners call it Oldham’s bamboo or giant timber bamboo. Kew puts its native range in southeastern China, including Hainan. Other sources give its range as southern China and Taiwan. It grows on plains and in warm lowland areas. People grow it beyond this range for food and ornament.

This bamboo grows in clumps of straight, upright canes. Useful Tropical Plants gives heights of 20–52 feet [6–16 metres]. PFAF lists 20 feet [6 metres]. It also reports 59 feet [18 metres]. The sources thus give a wide range of sizes. The canes span about 1–3.5 inches [3–9 centimetres] across. Stem joints stand 7–14 inches [17–35 centimetres] apart. Sources differ on the cane walls. One calls them thin; another says they are thick but soft. The plant keeps its leaves all year.

Grow it in warm, humid air and soil rich in humus. It accepts full sun or light, broken shade. PFAF lists sand, loam, and clay as suitable soils. The soil can be mildly acid, neutral, or mildly alkaline. The plant prefers moist ground to dry soil. PFAF places it in USDA zones 9–12. Useful Tropical Plants says it can endure brief, light frosts. Its listed needs suit sheltered woodland edges. Gardens with dappled shade also suit those needs.

PFAF gives July to October as the time of bloom. Each flower has both male and female organs. Wind takes pollen from flower to flower. The supplied sources do not describe this species’ fruit. Seed is scarce, but growers can use it to raise plants. PFAF says to sow fresh seed on the surface under glass. Keep the seed compost moist as the seeds sprout. Growers can also split clumps in spring to raise plants. Each part should have at least three canes. Disturb the roots as little as possible.

People eat the young shoots after cooking them. Taiwan grows this bamboo as a crop. Its upright form gives it value in gardens, too. The canes yield pulp. Listed uses also include fodder and biomass. Useful Tropical Plants says it resists honey fungus. Both main plant accounts list no known hazards. This does not mean that raw shoots are safe. PFAF lists no known use as medicine. It also flags no weed potential.