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Himalayacalamus hookerianus (Blue Bamboo) - This clumping bamboo forms an attractive clump of upright 3/4-inch-wide culms to 12-18 feet tall with 6 inch long dark green leaves that dangle gracefully. The newly emerging culms are a glaucous blue; this color is retained at the base as the culms age to an olive green. In sunny locations the culms take on a reddish cast on the side facing the sun.
Plant in morning sun or light shade in Southern California to full sun further north and give regular irrigation. Hardy to 15 degrees F. Great for a hedge planting or for large containers. It appears to be especially attractive to gophers, so wire basket protection is advised.
Most clones of this bamboo in cultivation flowered continuously through the 1990's and produced an abundance of seedlings that remained smaller than the parent and there were seedlings that are more robust. The selection we grew, made by Abe Nursery in Carpinteria, CA, seems to be in between and we also grew a very small selection that we called be 'Baby Blue' and the robust 'Teague's Blue'.
Himalayacalamus hookerianus was more commonly sold in the U.S. as Drepanostachyum falcatum, but plants in cultivation in the U.S. were determined to be Himalayacalamus hookerianus by Kew botanist Chris Stapleton. To confuse matters even more the Candy Stripe Bamboo often sold as Drepanostachyum hookerianum turned out to really be Himalayacalamus falconeri 'Damarapa'. This plant comes from E. Asia - Himalayas from E. Nepal to Sikkim and Bhutan.
The name for the genus combines the regional reference to the Himalayas with the Greek word 'kalamus' meaning "reed" in reference to the plants in the genus coming from lower altitudes of the Himalaya in Bhutan, Tibet, India, and Nepal and the specific epithet honors the English botanist and Kew Garden Director Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817–1911). We grew this seedling selection from 2007 until 2013.
The information about Himalayacalamus hookerianus displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
