Description
Chusquea smithii (also called Smith's bamboo, among many other common names) is a species of flowering plant in the grass family, native to South America. It is a medium-sized, evergreen bamboo, growing up to 5 m tall, with culms up to 4 cm in diameter. It is found in tropical and subtropical climates, in wet montane forests and along streams, from Mexico to Argentina.
Uses & Benefits
Chusquea smithii is used for making furniture, baskets, and other handicrafts. It is also used as a decorative plant in gardens and as a windbreak.
Flower, Seeds and Seedlings
Flower: small, greenish-white, borne in panicles; Seed: small, dark brown; Seedlings: thin, erect culms, with leaves at the nodes.
Cultivation and Propagation
Chusquea smithii can be propagated by division or by seed. To propagate by division, divide the clump in spring or autumn. To propagate by seed, sow the seed in spring in a cold frame. The seed should germinate in 1-2 months at 15°C. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.