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Bamboos

Himalayacalamus planatus

Large bamboo forming clumps of dense, dark green canes about 5m tall, tinged purple, maturing to red-brown, dark red in sun with pale hairy sheaths. Delicate, linear mid-green leaves to 13cm long turn orange-red in cold weather

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous or Semi evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Himalayacalamus are clump-forming bamboos with hollow, glossy, sometimes attractively-striped or stained canes and glaucous green leaves
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade, sheltered from cold, dry winds. See bamboo cultivation and bamboo control

Propagation

Propagate by division in early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Cottage and informal garden
Hedging and screens

Pruning

Remove weak, dead, damaged or spindly stems in spring and to show off stems to best effect. Cut out any flowering shoots promptly to discourage more from forming

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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