Practical
Plants

Himalayacalamus falconeri

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

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
6 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young shoots - cooked and used as a vegetable[4][6]. The young shoots are widely collected in Nepal and Bhutan, though this often conflicts with the other main use of the plant as a material for weaving[4][5].

Plant part
Stem

Material uses

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

The canes are thin walled, very light and pliable, they are used for basket making and other woven structures[2][6]. The plant is frequently harvested from the wild for this purpose[4].

Product or use
Basketry
Product or use
Weaving

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Himalayas.
Habitat
Cool broad-leaved forests, 2000 - 2500 metres[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
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. Germination usually takes place fairly quickly so long as the seed is of good quality, though it can take 3 - 6 months. 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. Rhizome cuttings.

Cultivation

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

Prefers a humus rich friable sandy loam in a sunny position or in shade[3]. Intolerant of winter wet and of temperatures below about -6°c[3]. According to some authorities, the correct name for this species should be Himalayacalamus falconeri[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[1]. Usually only about 3 metres tall in Britain, plants can reach 10 metres in height in favoured areas. The rootstock is caespitose.

References

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

    ↩

  2. Farrelly. D. The Book of Bamboo Sierra Club. 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-87156-825-X

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  5. Stapleton. C. Bamboos of Bhutan Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-947643-67-2

    ↩

  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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