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Common Name: Culeu

General Information

Chusquea culeou is a Evergreen Bamboo up to 5.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

S. America - Argentina, Chile.

Habitat

Montane woodlands in the Andes[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Bamboo
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a damp humus rich soil[]. Prefers an open loam of reasonable quality, doing well on peat[]. Likes plenty of moisture in the growing season[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[, , ]. They require a position sheltered from cold north and east winds[, ].
A very hardy plant[, ], tolerating temperatures down to about -15°c[]. Another report says that the plant is probably only hardy in the milder areas of the country[]. It succeeds outdoors at Edinburgh Botanical Gardens[] and is growing well at Kew[]. This species is found further south in the world than any other species of bamboo, it grows in Chile as far south as latitude 47°south[].
The rootstock is caespitose, new shoots are produced from late April and can grow 15cm overnight[].
Plants take 2 - 3 years to settle down after being moved but are then quite fast growing[]. Another report says that they are slow growing[].
This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[].
Plants flower and produce seed annually in the wild without dying as a result of the flowering[]. Plants of the cultivar 'Tenuis' have been observed to be flowering in 1994, this is the first record of this species flowering in the northern hemisphere[].

Edible Uses

Young shoots - cooked[, ].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The canes are used in making musical instruments, plain furniture and fencing[].

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. Very difficult[]. Take divisions with at least four 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[].
Basal cane cuttings.