GENERAL INFORMATION

ON BAMBOO
Myrna S. Decipulo
DENR 10, Cagayan de Oro City
WHY BAMBOO?
Bamboos grow
more rapidly than
trees and start to
yield within three
or four years of
planting.
 Bamboos can be harvested
annually and non-destructively.

May easily be
intercropped
with shallow-
rooted crops.
Bamboos are excellent for
rejuvenating degraded lands
and protecting against soil
erosion.
Plantation
establishment
requires minimal
capital investment
and builds upon
the inherent
plant-cultivation
skills of local
farmers
Other parts of the bamboo plant
can be used in rural livelihoods:
shoots for food,
leaves for fodder
branches for items such as brooms and
for firewood.
About 1250 species in 70 genera
recorded in the world

Greatest bamboo producer: India

and China
Bamboo resources in Northern Mindanao

Number of clumps, culms and total area of

priority bamboo species surveyed in Northern
Mindanao.
Total No. Total No. of
Species Area (ha)
of Clumps Culms
       
BOLO 3,198 117,852 28.46
BUHO 163 13,874 0.95
GIANT
54,540 2,010,505 440.70
BAMBOO
KAWAYAN
4,879 238,003 41.30
TINIK

Total 62,780 2,380,234 511.41

Number of clumps, culms and total area of
Other Bamboo Species surveyed in Northern
Mindanao.

Total No. of Total No.

Species Area (ha)
Clumps of Culms
       
kawayan
3,026 105,912 22.31
killing
Bayog 556 20,067 3.01
Kayali 370 10,480 1.84
Laak 215 8,848 1.10
Total 4,167 145,307 28.25
Characteristics of bamboo
strong bamboo culms
light but hard
come in different sizes
abundant
easy to propagate
short period to mature
suitable for various purposes
Kinds of bamboo

Clump forming (sympodial)

Kinds of bamboo

Non-clump
forming
Non-clump forming (monopodial)
Non-clump forming
Kinds of bamboo

Erect bamboo
Non-clump forming
Climbing bamboo
Kinds of bamboo

climbing
climbing bamboo
bamboo
Ornamental/decorative bamboo
Non-clump forming
 DIFFERENT BAMBOO SPECIES
Bambusa blumeana

Kawayan tinik - A native

species in Java and
Malaya, it is being
cultivated in the
Philippines for
construction, handicrafts,
farm implements and
many other domestic
uses. Its distinguishing
feature is its tuft spines in
the branches.
Schizostachyum lumampao
(Blanco) Merr.
 
Known as lakap in
Mindanao this bamboo is
native to the Philippines. It
abounds even in thickets and
second growth forest at low to
medium altitudes. The culms
are very straight and grow to
about 10-12 m high. The wall
is relatively thin with diameter
of 4-6 cm. It has long
internodes and the sheaths
are persistent.
Bambusa bambos (L.)
Voss.

This bamboo is commonly

known as India bamboo.
It is a thorny species with
erect culms, 15-25 m tall
when mature. The
internodes are green, 8-
10 cm in diamter with a
thickness of about 1-1.5
cm. The nodes are
prominent with spiny
branches originating from
all nodes.  
Bambusa glaucescens f.
elegans
 
In Japan, it is locally
known as Hou-ou-chiku.
The culms are 1-3 m high
and the leaves 2-6 cm
long. This bamboo is
most suited for making
fences in a large garden
or planted individually in
a garden or near the
house entrance.
Bambusa oldhamii Munro
 
This bamboo is native to
South China and Formosa.
Oldham bamboo is a large
and popular ornamental
common in Southern
California and Florida that
grows in fairly open
clumps.Culms about 8-15 m
tall, 3-10 cm in diameter;
internodes 20-35 cm long;
nodes prominent with many
branches; walls 0.4 – 1.2 cm
thick.
Bambusa blumeana var.
luzonensis (Bayog)
 
This species is native to
Ilocos region. This is
sometimes called Ilocano
bamboo in the rural
areas. It reaches a
height of 21 m and a
diameter of 7-10 cm. The
culms are tall and
relatively thick-walled and
strong.
Bambusa sp. (Laak)
 Laak is a very versatile
species of bamboo which
thrives practically in all types
of terrain but prefers the
moist flat lowlands. The
species is used for low-cost
house construction, furniture
making and manufacture of
handicraft items. In
Bukidnon, it is an important
species for banana industry
being used for props. 
 Bambusa tuldoides Munro
 
This bamboo is native to
Southern China where it is
commonly cultivated as a
potted plant. When
dwarfed, the internodes
become short and
swollen, in a manner
suggesting the prominent
pouch of popular paintings
and statue of the Buddha
in Chinese iconography.
Hence, it is commonly
called “buddha’s belly
bamboo”.
 
 Guadua angustifolia Kunth
 
This species is a native of
tropical America and
considered the best known
and most versatile species of
the genus. Sometimes called
as iron bamboo because of
the strength of the culm.
Average daily growth is about
17 cm in its native habitat.
This is another species of
bamboo with spines in the
branches.
Sasa palmata Nakai
 
It abounds even in deep
snow farther north than any
other bamboo. It is one of
the temperate bamboos and
believed to be native to
Japan. The culms are more
than 3 m high and 1-2 cm in
diameter. This bamboo is
planted to prevent erosion.
The shorts are used for food
in Japan. It is also being
used for making particle
boards.
 Schizostachyum brachycladum
Kurz.
This species is a native of
tropical Asia. Culms strongly
and closely tufted, erect,
slender tips drooping, 5-10 m
tall. Internodes yellow, with
narrow vertical green stripes,
15-40 cm long, 2-4 cm in
diameter, walls 2-3 mm thick.
This species thrives well in
sandy clay and sandy loam
soils. It is cultivated mainly as
an ornamental. Split culms are
used for handicraft articles.
 Thyrsostachys siamensis
(Kurz) Gamble
 
This bamboo is native to
Thailand and Burma where it
grows to about 8-12 m high
and a diameter of about 4-8
cm.In Burma, it is considered
one of their most beautiful
bamboo and by far, the best
for planting at lower
elevations. The culms are
ideal for vaulting poles and
umbrella handles.
 
Bambusa atra
 
This species is commonly
known as long tube
bamboo with more than
60 cm length of
internodes. The culms
are used in craft making
and also as blow pipe in
cooking and used as an
ornamental. In the
bambusetum, the biggest
culm produced reaches
1.88 cm diameter and 4.8
m total height.
 
Phyllostachys violascens
Quite unusual because it goes
through several color variations.
Starts with dark, purple streaks
which disappear in a few
weeks. Gets yellow stripes
changing to brownish-crimson
stripes. Some culms remain
green.  Large leaves with
blue/green insides.  Very fast-
growing. Makes a great hedge.
•Height: 30’
•Diameter: 3"
Phyllostachys nigra
(Dikokuchiku)

This species is much larger than

black bamboo. Its large, jet-
black canes turn black faster as
well. New shoots are green but
turn black by next season.
•Height: 20’ - 40’

Beautiful, lacy green foliage. A

stunning giant. Good for hedge,
grove and will grow in full sun
but looks better as understory or
•Diameter: 2”

with partial shade.

Phyllostachys glabrata,
Uses of bamboo
construction materials
Engineered products for construction
Uses of Bamboo

Furniture and handicrafts

Uses of Bamboo

Furniture and
handicrafts
Bamboo crafts
Uses of Bamboo

means of transport
Uses of Bamboo

Support agri-based industries

… as banana prop
Uses of Bamboo

Support agri-based industries

…as tomato stakes

Uses of Bamboo
Support agri-based industries

…for seedlings
Uses of Bamboo

Support agri-based industries

… in poultries and piggeries

Uses of Bamboo

Support agri-based industries

… in shrimp cultivation
Uses of Bamboo

Support agri-based industries

… bamboo vinegar as spray

Uses of Bamboo

Musical instrument
Uses of Bamboo

Water purifier
 Uses of Bamboo

Water purifier

Bamboo charcoal
for sewage
purification
Uses of Bamboo

Bamboo charcoal
for sewage
purification
Uses of Bamboo
Low cost housing
Uses of Bamboo

fresh edible
shoots
Corrugated roof
Bamboo: Current roles in
the global carbon cycle and
in climate change
 
Bamboo biomass and carbon
stock
 
Bamboo is one of the most productive
and fastest growing plants on earth

The fastest-growing species may grow

up to 1.2 m a day. The unique
growing capacity makes bamboo a
valuable sink for carbon storage.

 
Bamboo biomass and carbon
stock
 
Below ground bamboo biomass makes
up 25-50% of the total stock.

Carbon content comprises usually

about 50% of the total biomass.

 
Bamboo biomass
and carbon stock
 
Sympodial bamboos
grow like a bush and
are generally non-
invasive. Sympodial
bamboo species are
normally substantially
more productive than
monopodial.
 
Bamboo biomass and
carbon stock

Tropical Bambusa
bambos may produce
twice as much biomass
compared to monopodial
Moso bamboo
(Phyllostachys
pubescens) - 280-290 vs
120-140 t/ha. The above
ground productivity of
Moso bamboo may reach
18-20 t/ha/yr.
 
Bamboo and wood
carbon
 
Bamboo has several
advantages over tree
species in terms of
sustainability and
carbon fixing capacity.
Available studies
conclude that bamboo
biomass and carbon
production may be 7-
30% higher compared
to the fast growing
wood species.
Bamboo and wood
carbon
 
A 6-year old Bambusa
bambos has been
measured at a total
above ground biomass
287 t/ha with a mean
annual production of
around 47.8 t/ha/yr,
almost twice that of
the Eucalyptus clones.
Bamboo and wood
carbon
 
Besides higher biomass,
bamboo has other
advantages over wood as a
carbon stock. Unlike woody
crops bamboo offers the
possibility of annual
selective harvesting and
removal of about 15-20%
of the total stock without
damaging the environment
and stock productivity.
Bamboo and
wood carbon
 
Interestingly,
the total
biomass of
mature
Bambusa at 6
years is in fact
higher than
that of teak at
40 years: 149 t
C/ha versus
only 126 t C/ha
for teak.
Bamboo and wood
carbon
 
Over 90% of bamboo
carbon can be sequestered
in durable products such as
boards, panels, floors,
furniture, buildings, cloth,
paper and activated
charcoal. These products
have a very long life span
and may retain carbon for
several decades.
 THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING ABOUT

BAMBOOS!