Practical
Plants

Himalayacalamus brevinodus

a woody evergreen member of the Himalayacalamus genus in the family Gramineae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
9 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Stems - cooked[5]. Used as a vegetable[6]. The stems are up to 25mm in diameter[5].

Plant part
Stem

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The older stems are harvested and then split for weaving into baskets and mats[5]. They are not considered to be of the best quality because of the relatively short length between nodes[6].

Product or use
Weaving

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Himalayas in E. Nepal.
Habitat
Cool broad-leaved forests, 1800 - 2200 metres[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - surface sow as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse at about 20°c. Do not allow the compost to dry out. There is a degree of dormancy in the seed and it can take 1 - 8 months to germinate at 20 - 25°c, a cold pre-treatment might shorten this time[4]. Grow on in a lightly shaded place in the greenhouse until large enough to plant out. Seed is rarely available. Division in spring as new growth commences. Take divisions with at least three canes in the clump, trying to cause as little root disturbance to the main plant as possible. Grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse in pots of a high fertility sandy medium. Mist the foliage regularly until plants are established. Plant them out into their permanent positions when a good root system has developed, which can take a year or more[3]. Basal cane cuttings.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will succeed in British gardens though it is frost-tolerant in its native range and so should succeed outdoors at least in the milder areas of the country[5]. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a good loamy soil[4]. Succeeds in most soils so long as they do not dry out[3]. Dislikes drought[1]. Prefers a position sheltered from cold north and east winds[1]. The stems colour more brightly when grown in a sunny position[3], though the leaves curl up in bright sunlight[4]. Succeeds outdoors in a woodland garden[4]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[3]. Plants only flower at intervals of many years. When they do come into flower most of the plants energies are directed into producing seed and consequently the plant is severely weakened. They sometimes die after flowering, but if left alone they will usually recover though they will look very poorly for a few years. If fed with artificial NPK fertilizers at this time the plants are more likely to die[2].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 1. 1979 - 1980. Royal Horticultural Society 1979-00-00

    ↩

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994-00-00 ISBN 1352-4186

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  5. Stapleton. C. Bamboos of Nepal The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 1994-00-00 ISBN 0947643680

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  6. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2

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