Giant Thorny Bamboo (Bambusa bambos)

Family: Poaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Giant Thorny Bamboo, Bambusa bambos, is a large, clumping bamboo characterized by spikes present on its bright green stems. It is fast growing and can reach up to 30 m high. It is used as food, medicine, and various other purposes. Young shoots of this plant is cooked and eaten as vegetable. The whole plant contains high level of silica and is used in Ayurvedic medicine. Different plant parts also exhibit medicinal properties.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds, Shoots, Sap/Syrup

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Edible portion: Shoots, Seeds, Sap, Cereal. Young shoots - cooked. They are often cooked in two changes of water to remove the bitterness. The sugary sap is made into a drink. Seed. Chemical composition: Seeds per 100 g edible portion. — Edible portion: Shoots, Seeds, Sap, Cereal.; Young shoots - cooked.; They are often cooked in two changes of water to remove the bitterness.; The sugary sap is made into a drink.

Habitat & North American Range

Found most abundantly in mixed moist deciduous forest, and not so commonly in mixed dry deciduous forest and in semi-evergreen forest, growing best along river valleys and in other moist conditions, on hills at elevations up to 1,000 metres. (Zone 10)