Himalayacalamus brevinodus

Himalayacalamus brevinodus is a bamboo in the grass family, Poaceae. It is evergreen, so it keeps its leaves all year. It is native to the central and eastern Himalaya. Plants For A Future lists eastern Nepal and Sikkim in India. It grows in cool forests where trees have broad leaves. These sites lie at 5,900–7,220 feet [1,800–2,200 metres] above sea level. Kew places it in a temperate climate. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This bamboo grows fast. Plants For A Future gives its height as about 30 feet [9 metres]. The sources give no mature width. They give no range of sizes in gardens either. Stems can reach about 0.08 feet [0.025 metres] across. Their nodes, or joints, have short spaces between them. This affects how useful the stems are for weaving. The evidence gives no leaf shape or colour for this species.

Its flowers have both male and female organs. Wind moves pollen from flower to flower. The sources do not say when it blooms. Nor do they describe its fruit. Plants For A Future says seed is scarce. Its notes on raising new plants say seeds sprout slowly and unevenly. In warm conditions, seed may take one to eight months to sprout. The source also describes how to split plants in spring. This takes place as new growth starts. Each piece needs at least three canes. The roots need as little disturbance as possible.

Plants For A Future lists sun and part shade as suitable. It also lists woodland gardens and shaded edges. Its species entry lists sand, loam, and clay as suitable soils. Soil may be slightly acid, neutral, or slightly alkaline. Moist soil suits it. The source says it tolerates frost in its native range. Yet it is not clear how well it grows in British gardens. The sources give no firm hardiness zone. Much of the other care advice is for the genus. It does not address this species alone.

People cook the stems and eat them as a vegetable. They also use older stems for baskets and mats. Workers split the stems before they weave them. The short spaces between nodes make them less useful for this work. Plants For A Future lists no known medicinal use. It reports no known hazards. This does not mean the plant is safe for pets. It also lists no weed potential. The evidence does not establish pest or disease problems for this species.