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Useful Temperate Plants

Phyllostachys arcana

McClure

Poaceae

+ Synonyms

Phyllostachys sapida T.P.Yi

Common Name: Half-Black Bamboo

No Image.

General Information

Phyllostachys arcana is an evergreen bamboo that can grow around 8 metres tall; the erect, woody culms are around 30mm in diameter with thin-walled internodes around 20 - 30cm long. The rhizomes are elongated, the plant having a running habit that can produce new canes some distance from the main clump, especially in warm climates. This tendency to run, however, is somewhat curtailed in cooler climates, where new shoot production can be rather reduced.
The plant is harvested from the wild and locally cultivated for use as a food and a source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

E. Asia - central and southwest China (Anhui, Gansu, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang).

Habitat

Grown at elevations from 700 - 1,800 metres[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Bamboo
Height6.00 m
PollinatorsWind
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Phyllostachys arcanas is not hardy outside the milder regions of the temperate zone, it can tolerate temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Grows well in light woodland and also in full sun. Prefers a rich damp soil with shelter from cold harsh winds and prolonged frosts.
This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Bamboos have an interesting method of growth. Each plant produces a number of new stems annually - these stems grow to their maximum height in their first year of growth, subsequent growth in the stem being limited to the production of new side branches and leaves. In the case of some mature tropical species the new stem could be as much as 30 metres tall, with daily increases in height of 30cm or more during their peak growth time. This makes them some of the fastest-growing species in the world[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Bamboos in general are usually monocarpic, living for many years before flowering, then flowering and seeding profusely for a period of 1 - 3 years before usually dying. This pattern can vary - sometimes flowering is sporadic, with plants flowering annually and not dying; at other times it is gregarious with all the plants in a specific species coming into flower at the same time.

Edible Uses

Young shoots - cooked[
195
Title
The Book of Bamboo
Publication
 
Author
Farrelly. D.
Publisher
Thames & Hudson; London
Year
1996
ISBN
0-500-27911-X
Description
Very readable, giving lots of information on the uses of bamboos, both temperate and tropical.
]. The shoots, which are about 3cm in diameter[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
], are harvested in the spring when about 8cm above the ground, cutting them about 5cm below soil level. They are said to be of good quality[
183
Title
Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications
Year
1990
ISBN
0-9628087-0-9
Description
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
] and have a delicious flavour[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

This is a good companion species to grow in a woodland because the plants have shallow root systems that do not compete with deep tree roots[
195
Title
The Book of Bamboo
Publication
 
Author
Farrelly. D.
Publisher
Thames & Hudson; London
Year
1996
ISBN
0-500-27911-X
Description
Very readable, giving lots of information on the uses of bamboos, both temperate and tropical.
].
The plant has a dense, running root system and has been planted on slopes to stabilize the soil.

Other Uses

The hard canes are used as handles of farm appliances or as pillars of bamboo appliances[
195
Title
The Book of Bamboo
Publication
 
Author
Farrelly. D.
Publisher
Thames & Hudson; London
Year
1996
ISBN
0-500-27911-X
Description
Very readable, giving lots of information on the uses of bamboos, both temperate and tropical.
,
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. They are also used for matting and making lanterns[
195
Title
The Book of Bamboo
Publication
 
Author
Farrelly. D.
Publisher
Thames & Hudson; London
Year
1996
ISBN
0-500-27911-X
Description
Very readable, giving lots of information on the uses of bamboos, both temperate and tropical.
].

Propagation

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. Divisions from the open ground do not transplant well, so will need careful treatment and nurturing under cover in pots until at least late spring[
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
]. Division is best carried out in wet weather and small divisions will establish better than large clumps[
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
]. Another report says that you can take large divisions from established clumps and transfer them straight to their permanent positions, misting or drenching them frequently until they are established[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Basal cane cuttings in spring.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-19. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Phyllostachys+arcana>

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