Worth knowing:
The evergreen Calcutta Bamboo is one of the tallest bamboo species and can grow in its natural habitat up to 25 meters. In temperate regions it can still become five to six meters tall. It grows rapidly during the growth period and can gain up to 20 cm in height in a single day. The Calcutta Bamboo develops long, deeply green and alternate leaves that provide a perfect privacy shield on your balcony, porch or in the garden. Its up to 30 cm thick stalks are used as construction material and for the manufacturing of furnitures and even bicycles.
Natural Location:
The natural habitat of the Calcutta Bamboo reaches from the Indian region between Ganges and Ramganga until China. There, it grows in tropical and subtropical areas at heights of up to 1200 meters.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. To increase the germinability, you can place the seeds initially for a couple of hours in a bowl with lukewarm water for priming. Then, gently press the seeds into moist potting compost, put just a little compost earth on top and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 25° and 30° Celsius (for example near the heater) and keep the earth moist, but not wet. Usually, it takes about two to six weeks until germination.
Place:
As a tropical plant, the Calcutta Bamboo likes warm temperatures above 20° Celsius all year long, while it prefers a half-shaded to a full sunny spot. During summer, it can also be kept in a warm and wind-protected place, ideally near a heat-preserving wall.
Care:
The Calcutta Bamboo needs to be watered regularly and penetratingly, but without waterlogging. Since the plant grows naturally already rather fast, you shouldn’t further enhance the growing by giving any fertilizer. Stalks that grow too big can be capped sideways. Like with most bamboo plants, you need to place a rhizome barrier to contain the uncontrolled spreading of the roots. This is of course only necessary in warmer regions, where the Calcutta Bamboo can be planted out - in tub cultivation the pot makes the barrier.
During the winter:
The Calcutta Bamboo is not frost-hard and tolerates only very short periods with temperatures up to -5° Celsius. Outdoor plants should be protected with a winter fleece and a good layer of foliage or straw on the root area. Water the plant one more time penetratingly at the beginning of winter, and only modestly afterwards, just so the bamboo doesn’t dry out. Tub plants hibernate best in a warm and bright place with reduced watering.
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