Gigantochloa Timor Black (Bambusa lako)

In its natural habitat, the island of Timor, Bambusa lako grows 70' high with 4"diameter canes which are initially green before maturing to shiny black with scattered green stripes. They grow vertically but may droop at the top. It was described and separated from the Indonesian species Gigantochloa atroviolacea by botanist Elizabeth Widjaja in 1997. A 2000 molecular study concluded the two species were closely related and that the Timor black would be better placed in the genus Gigantochloa. It is hardy to 25 degrees F.

       Highly prized plant by collectors because of the large diameter black canes on a clumping plant.  Seems to do well in humid areas near the ocean in Southern California.   When we grew it in Tustin in the 80's it was impressive and attractive but lost a lot of leaves in the winter.  5 gallon pots containing cane cuttings in one of our unheated greenhouses in Perris died in the winter of 2006 when the temperature went down to 25 degrees F. for several hours at night.

       Roy Rogers had a dozen large pots in Florida which he made divisions from and one of them flowered for a couple of years without dying.  He found no seeds or seedlings.  And the divisions he took off the flowering plant did not flower.  We don't know if he sent flowers to Elizabeth or not.