Bambusa vulgaris aka Wamin Bamboo

Bambusa vulgaris is a large, evergreen bamboo in the grass family. People call it common bamboo or feathery bamboo. Kew places its native range from Assam to Myanmar. It grows in wet tropical regions. Records also place it beside rivers and in open forests in Yunnan. People grow it across the tropics and subtropics for ornament and use.

This woody plant forms large clumps, with canes that rise then arch. Tropical plants reach about 49–66 feet (15–20 m) tall. RHS lists garden heights above 39 feet (12 m). It also reports native plants taller than 66 feet (20 m). Clumps can spread beyond 26 feet (8 m). The hollow canes have thin walls and lack spines. They are often bright green, though some are yellow with green stripes. Mid-green leaves reach about 10 inches (25 cm) long. Triangular sheaths around the canes have hairy edges.

Give this bamboo sun or partial shade in a sheltered spot. It needs moist soil that drains well and contains humus. Clay and loam suit it, across acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. It grows best in warm, moist lowland sites. RHS rates it H1C, for summer outdoor use in Britain. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 9–12. Frost can kill the canes down to ground level. Rhizomes may send up new growth after less severe frost. Reports note brief survival at 27°F (−3°C).

Its size makes it a poor fit for an average garden. Large sites can use it for screens, shade, and windbreaks. Plantings also help hold soil and mark land boundaries. The canes supply material for baskets, fences, roofs, and furniture. People also use them as supports for banana plants. Yet crooked, stiff stems can be hard to split and work. Clumps may become a nuisance and prove hard to control. Divide them in spring to make new plants. Pruning is not needed, though crowded stems can be thinned. Slugs may damage young growth; honey fungus is a rare problem.

Young shoots are edible after cooking and can accompany rice. Sources also record drinks made from the growing point. Traditional medicine uses the stems, shoots, leaves, bark, and sap. These records describe uses, not proof that treatments work. The supplied sources report no known hazards. They do not establish safety for pets or uncooked shoots.