Description A moderately large bamboo with tightly clustering, straight, bluish green culms to about 17 m (56 ft) tall and to 10 cm (4 in) in diameter. Dendrocalamus sericeus is widespread from northeastern India to Indochina to 1200 m (3900 ft) and is easy to cultivate in tropical and warm temperate climates to USDA Zone 9. The thick-walled culms are one of the best for making laminated bamboo lumber products such as beams, floors, cutting boards etc. The young shoots are edible. It is also an extraordinarily beautiful bamboo and makes an excellent ornamental. Sowing Advice The seeds can be started indoors at any time throughout the year. Press the cereal-like seeds onto moist cultivation soil, cover them thinly with the substratum and move the container in a warm spot. Given temperatures around 25°C and even moisture, the seeds germinate after 10 to 20 days. Seeds sometimes germinate within 4 to 6 weeks although some varieties may take very much longer so please be patient. Plant out in the open ground in warmer countries or in a large container elsewhere.
