The bamboo culm is also known as the stem or stalk, which generally tends to be a tall woody shoot that emerges from the Rhizome bud, this young shoot quickly grows and reaches its full height with 100 days. The height that the Culm reaches in its first year will be its final height. However the Bamboo plant will continue to develop thicker and taller culms. The Culm (stem) tends to be cylindrical in shape, which tapers towards the top. The place on the stem where a leafy branch or bud arises, marked by a prominent line is known as the Node. As older leaves drop there is a constant regeneration and young leaves are produced, these branches and leaves continue to increase in number each year, generally the bamboo culm will continue to develop branches until the culm reaches about 7 years old. After this stage the culm should be thinned out of the grove.
The Rhizome
The rhizome is the underground stems of the bamboo plant, it is the Rhizomes which produce the culms. The rhizome is bulbous in its appearance with each individual segment of the rhizome tapering towards its end to form a “neck” which connects to its other segments. The rhizome has roots that emerge from its nodes, and it is these roots that forage for food and nutrients from the soil. These nutrients are stored by the rhizomes and used in the plant’s periods of dormancy for new growth.
There are two types of Rhizome Systems, Pachymorph (sympodial or clump forming) and Leptomorph (monopodial or running type). However intermediate forms of Rhizomes can be formed, these are known as Amphipodial Rhizomes.The culms which form from the monopodial rhizome tend to be uniform and similar to the next whereas the culms of a sympodial or clump forming tend to have culms with successively increase in order.Monopodial Bamboos tend to be from the following species: Bashania, Ferrocalamus, Indosasa, Pleioblastus, Phyllostachys, SinobambusaSympodial Bamboos tend to be from the following species: Ampelocalamus, Bambusa, Cephalostachyum, Chimonocalamus, Dendrocalamopsis, Dendrocalamus, Dinochloa, Fargesia Gaoligongshania, Gigantochloa, Melocalamus, Neosinocalamus, , Pseudostachyum Racemobambos, Schizostachyum, Teinostachyum, Thamnocalamus, Thyrsostachys YushaniaAmphipodial Bamboos tend to be from the following species: Chimonobambusa, Indocalamus, Qiongzhuea Bamboo Buds
Buds emerge on alternate sides of the culm and rhizomes of the bamboo (Like the Culm the rhizome also has nodes and internodes which are covered by sheaths).
Buds are key points from where new axes emerge and from where an entirely new plant can be formed. Culm buds are located slightly above the nodes Nodes are where the rhizome, culm and branches of the bamboo plant are segmented by solid growth points.
Rhizome buds are seen adjacent to the nodes in the portion between two successive nodes, known as the internode, it is the buds of the rhizome that are responsible for producing the culms (stems).
Nodes and InternodesNodes are growth points from where new branches develop, the rhizome, culm and branches of the bamboo plant are all segmented by its nodes.
The portion between two nodes is called an internode.
The length between two nodes varies from species to species and these internodes are usually hollow and are covered by sheaths in the early stages of growth, however as the plant grows these sheaths fall off and become a mulch that is ideal for providing vital nutrients for the growing plant.
The internodes play an important part in transporting water and nutrients upwards, this is done by sophisticated vertically arranged cells located within the internodes. Distinctively then, the cells within the nodes are positioned horizontally thus enabling transverse movement of water and nutrients along its branches,
RootsRoots play an important part in soil anchorage and are essential for the survival of the bamboo as the roots’ role is to transplant water and nutrients to other parts of the bamboo plant. Because the roots of the bamboo are shallow they grow best in moisture retentive soil and benefit from mulches of organic materials, however as long as the bamboo’s leaves and sheathes are not removed from the base of the bamboo once they fall to the ground, then these act as a natural fertilizer which should be more than adequate for continued fertilization of the bamboo.
Given the right conditions a bamboo will grow to its full height in just a few years. The roots grow from the nodes of the rhizome and of the underground portions of the culms. The root system is a shallow but prolific lateral spreader. The roots are not segmented by nodes or protected by sheaths. However, in some species the roots can emerge at the nodes from where branches lead off and these are useful in propagating a new bamboo plant.
BranchesA bamboo culm only begins to develop branches when it has reached full or almost full height. Branches form from the buds on the culm and are arranged alternately along its length. The branchy system of the bamboo differs from type to type however the main structure of each is the same. The branch consists of :
1. one main branch (a little like that of a tree trunk but obviously smaller in size) and
2. a secondary branch that emerges from its basal portion.
Both the main and secondary branches may in turn bear branchlets. The base of a branch may develop a rhizomatous swelling and root primordium, which are useful in vegetative propagation through branch cuttings, this can be induced by chopping the culm tops and removing the newly emerging culms from the clump.
LeavesSound and movement provided by the leaves and culms of the bamboo offer sound and movement to the garden. Most bamboos produce many leaves, although there is some variety in the shapes between the different bamboo types. Some bamboos have variegated leaves whilst others have green leaves, some have very small leaves whilst others have large leaves, the variety is endless!
Both the bamboos branches and leaves, given the correct conditions, continue to increase each year and there is a constant regeneration of young leaves from a healthy bamboo. As previously stated the fallen leaves and sheaths provide a good source of nutrition for the growing bamboo and should not be cleared away from the base of the plant.
The taller bamboos have a tree like appearance and are ideal for screening and hedges, the smaller ones are ideal as architectural plants, ground cover or for containers.
Some good screening bamboos are Phyllostachys Edulis or Phylllostachy bisetti, some other good hedging bamboos are Fargesia Nitida and Fargesia murielae.
The leaves of the bamboo are important in the process of Photosynthesis and they also play an important role in protecting the bamboo against frost and rain.
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