Fast growing timber bamboo with 10% of the grove has bends located in the lower portion of the culm (cane). The wood quality of all bambusoides species is excellent because of the thick walls of the canes. Phyllostachys Bambusoides 'Slender Crookstem' is a fast growing giant timber bamboo. It is very straight and the thick walled canes make it one of the toughest of all the bamboos. Around 10% of the grove will have a very slight bend located in the lower portion of the culm (cane). The wood quality of all bambusoides species is excellent. This species is from Guangdong, China and has been here since 1924. The new shoots are edible and in fact very tasty. Rare in cultivation this beauty looks tough. Very strong appearing with lush dark green foliage. Climate Zone 7 and 8 expect mature size canes to be 50 feet in height. Climate Zone 6 expect mature size canes to be 12 to 18 feet in height. 'Slender Crookstem' bamboo is highly prized for use in construction and crafts. Culm (canes) sheaths are a pretty green/reddish coloration. The sheath auricles and oral setae are very distinct. It has the strongest branches of any Phyllostachys. As with most other species, the maximum size will not be obtained in colder climate zones. This bamboo is easy to control with just root pruning and has wide culm spacing in loamy soil. Crookstem is rare in most areas of the country. It also has the low limb characteristics on canes under 2 inch in diameter. So as your grove establishes for the first 3 to 5 years you will have thick foliage close to the ground. Plant introduction number (PI) into the U.S. 146420
