Giant Timber Bamboo
Giant timber bamboo, or Oldham’s bamboo (Bambusa oldhamii), has the large green culms (stems) to 3 – 5”. Bamboo is in the grass family and this one is an impressive giant clumping bamboo species growing up to 65’ tall. It is non-invasive, evergreen, and widely used for privacy screens, windbreaks, and timber. Giant timber bamboo is cold hardy to 22°F, making it the hardiest subtropical timber in clumping bamboo. In a hard freeze the leaves will be damaged and fall off, similar to bananas, it will regrow from the base of the plant. It has dark green culms that grow tall and straight. Beware the plant gets very large (up to 65’) so make sure you have plenty of space for it to grow. It can be topped to be kept shorter, but that takes continual annual maintenance.
Bamboo Uses
In the landscape, bamboo makes a great privacy barrier, it’s also used as a wind break and can reduce unpleasant noises with the soothing sound of its rustling leaves. It can be used as a specimen plant or living fence and is widely planted in major theme parks in Central Florida for the tropical jungle look. Plant spacing of 5 – 6′ apart is commonly used for a privacy fence. Harvest for timber when the culms are fully mature 3 – 5 years after sprouting. Keep track of the age by carving the date into the bamboo culm. The mature canes can be dried and cured to use in furniture, as craft material, or to build bamboo structures.
Edible Shoots
Giant timber bamboo has delicious shoots can be harvested for food. They are the largest edible bamboo shoots that can be grown in central Florida. Giant asper bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper) can reach 100’ in height and produces even larger edible shoots but can only be grown in south Florida. Harvest the shoots when they are between 12 – 18” tall. Remove the leafy tip and outer layers and boil in water several times, dumping the old water and adding fresh water between boiling to remove the bitter compounds. Once properly prepared, the cooked edible shoots can be used in curries, salad, stir fry and soup. It is one of the most popular varieties for bamboo shoot production in Asia. The leaves can be used to make a lovely bamboo tea, which is light golden in color. It’s a great species with many uses to add to your edible landscape or food forest.
Propagation
Giant timber bamboo can be propagated by division of the roots, stem cuttings or air layering. Propagation success varies by the season, preparation, and age of material used. One technique is to top the bamboo, wait for regrowth, and then propagate cuttings from the top node. Single node cuttings from the base of the bamboo culms after cutting back and waiting for regrown is another viable option. The giant timber bamboo can also grow from large stalks that are laid on the ground in a moist shady location and topped with compost or leaves. After a few months new shoots will arise from the bamboo nodes that have good contact with the soil.
Removing Bamboo
Once established, bamboo can be difficult to remove or eradicate. To mechanically remove the bamboo, use a backhoe, a stump grinder, or dig it up (which is very difficult by hand). There is also the stump cut and treat method where use a Sawzall to cut the clump down and immediately treat with a herbicide. Glyphosate and imazapyr are both herbicides that can be used to kill bamboo. Imazapyr has residual soil activity so do not use if you have edibles in your landscape.
Learn more:
Clumping Bamboo – UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
Follow Us!
We have several ways to connect. Follow our UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Eventbrite, Blogs, and Website
If you have any questions, please contact UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County at 813-744-5519 or email hillsmg@mail.ufl.edu.
The University of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Institution.
3
