Giant thorny bamboo, Bambusa bambos

Description for Giant thorny bamboo, Bambusa bambos
Plant height: 24 – 36 inches
Plant spread: 5 – 9 inches
It is a tall, bright-green colored spiny bamboo species, which grows in thickets consisting of a large number of heavily branched, closely growing culms. It reaches a height of 10–35 m and grows naturally in the forests of the dry zones. Leaves are lance-shaped with a long pointed tip. They measure between 15-30 cm long and 8-15 mm broad, with about 10 leaves in each compliment.

Common name(s): Giant thorny bamboo, Indian thorny bamboo, Spiny bamboo, and Thorny bamboo
Flower colours: Rarely
Bloom time: –
Max reachable height: 35-100 feet
Difficulty to grow: Easy to grow
Planting and care
It is propagated through seeds. sow the seeds in a pot when the temperature is 20 degrees C. Water the seeds regularly. Seeds will germinate in 8-10 days. Place the seedlings in the light shade until they fully establish.

Plants can be propagated vegetatively by rhizome, culm and branch cuttings. The propagules are raised in a nursery and after they have produced roots and developed rhizomes they are planted out in the field during the rainy season in pits filled with a mixture of compost and soil.

Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil: Grows best in a fertile, and moist soil.
Water: Water the bamboo plant moderately.
Temperature: 20-30 degrees C
Fertilizer: Bamboo responds well to organic fertilizers like compost, vermicompost and dried farmyard manure.
Caring for Giant thorny bamboo
All dead and dying culms to be cut from the base leaving one/two nodes from the bottom and removed from the third year of establishment. Thorns to be pruned from the base of the clump every year preferably during the months of November –December.
Irrigate the bamboo plant regularly for 1 – 2 years of growth after that watering can be reduced.
Managed bamboo plant properly with routine pruning, thinning and cleaning, and by adopting proper sanitation measures, Bamboo usually escapes pest/fungal infestations.
Typical uses of Giant thorny bamboo
Special features: It is a plant of Punarvasu Nakshatra.

Culinary use:

Its young shoot are harvested as they emerge from the soil and cooked as a vegetable.
The sugary sap is made into a drink.
Seeds are also edible.
Ornamental use: It can be used as an ornamental fence.

Medicinal use:

The plant contains high levels of silica and is used in many ways in Ayurvedic medicine.
The root is astringent and cooling. It is used to treat joint pain and general debility.
The leaves are antispasmodic and emmenagogue. They are taken internally to stimulate menstruation and to help relieve period pain. They are also taken to tone and strengthen stomach function, and to expel worms.
The young sprouts, harvested as they emerge from below soil level, are taken internally to relieve nausea and indigestion.
The juice of the plant is rich in silica and is taken internally to aid in the strengthening of cartilage in conditions such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.