CHIMONOBAMBUSA QUADRANGULARIS

   Tustin, California

Probable height in Southern California within 3 years = 5'

Probable ultimate height in Southern California = 7'

Height in habitat = 25'

If growing in the ground it will look best in sun with some shade.

A running bamboo - rhizomes will run sideways in moist earth unless restrained with a root barrier.

Minimum soil depth required for a healthy plant = 6"

Unrestrained rhizome depth in moist soil = 18"

Square Bamboo, Tetragonocalmus-angulatus, Tetragonocalmus quadrangularis, Shiho chiku, Shikaku dake.

 

        Small plant with unusual canes, originally from China, long cultivated in Japan.  Dark green culms somewhat square in cross section & having a rough, gritty surface with small thorn-like bumps on each node.  The canes were used to create decorative interior finishes in traditional Japanese homes before American Formica, Mylar & Polyester became all the rage.

 

        A runner, but more or less easy to keep contained.  OK, I lied - you need a 12" deep barrier below ground, a sidewalk surrounding the plant, or a troupe of Russian Bears performing a Kazatska around the plant every April.  The new shoots are edible if you can keep the bears from mashing them too much.  Planting made in shady, moist location in Sanger, California around 1980 was 20' tall with 1 7/8" diameter canes in 1994. Has not done well in Southern Florida. Jean Harrington in St. Pete says it does not like their heat.

 

        Minimum temperature proven in the severe European winter of 1984-85.

 

CHIMONOBAMBUSA QUADRANGULARIS F. SUHOW

A small plant was in the ABS So Cal reference collection as of 12/92, but I think it died.