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Useful Temperate Plants

Phyllostachys sulphurea

(Carrière) Rivière & C.Rivière

Poaceae

+ Synonyms

Bambusa sulphurea Carrière

Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. Sulphurea (Carrière) S.Y.He

Phyllostachys faberi Rendle

Phyllostachys reticulata sulphurea (Carrière) Makino

Phyllostachys viridis (R.A.Young) McClure

Common Name: Ougon-Kouchiku

No Image.

General Information

Phyllostachys sulphurea is an evergreen bamboo that can grow 7 - 8 metres tall; the erect, woody culms are 30 - 40mm in diameter with thin-walled internodes. 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 less in cooler climates, where new shoot production can be rather reduced.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of food and materials. It is much grown as an ornament in gardens[
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.
].
The plant has a running rootstock and can become invasive in warmer climates. In cooler regions of the temperate zone, however, it does not produce enough new shoots to be invasive but it still wanders about a bit.

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 - eastern China.

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild state, this form arose from garden cultivation.

Properties

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

Cultivation Details

Phyllostachys sulphurea is generally a very hardy species, tolerating temperatures down to about -20°c, but persistent cold springs make the plant lazy in sending up new canes. It dislikes prolonged exposure to hard frosts.
Grows best in a sunny position, tolerating light shade. Requires a rich damp soil in a sheltered position and plenty of moisture in the growing season. Tolerates dry conditions.
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.
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[
122
Title
The Plantsman. Vol. 1. 1979 - 1980.
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Royal Horticultural Society
Year
1979
ISBN
-
Description
Excerpts from the periodical giving cultivation details and other notes on some of the useful plants. A good article on the flowering of bamboos.
].
New shoots appear in late May. It does not reach a good size in cooler climes.
Although classed as a species, some botanists view it as a cultivated form of the true wild species, Pyllostachys sulphurea viridis. It was the first form seen and named in the west and thereby received specific status.

Edible Uses

Young shoots - raw or cooked. Virtually free of acridity even when raw[
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.
], they can be thinly sliced and eaten raw in salads but are usually boiled first[
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.
]. The shoots are harvested in the spring when they are about 8cm above the ground, cutting them about 5cm below soil level.

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

This is a good companion species to grow in a woodland because the plants are shallow rooted and do not compete with deep rooted trees[
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.
].

Other Uses

The canes are used in construction. They are said to have excellent technological properties[
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 hard but rather brittle culms are used in house construction and for handles of farm tools[
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.
].

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. 2024-10-12. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Phyllostachys+sulphurea>

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