asperdam

Dendrocalamus asper is an introduced species that has quickly taken a major role in
both shoot and timber production. Because it is so extensively cultivated, it is still
unclear which country it originated in. It is a densely tufted, sympodial bamboo.
Culms on mature plants are pendulous and reach heights between 20 and 30
meters. The culm is very thick [10cm - 20cm diameter] and strong making it ideal for
timber substitute products.

The gregarious flowering which took place in the early to mid 1990's devastated the
bamboo shoot industry in Thailand causing millions of dollars in losses. With an
expected flowering cycle over 85 years, asper has been planted again with little fear
of experiencing similar losses. Plantations managed for shoot production can
produce 10 to 20 tons per hectare. Several cultivars exist including "Thai Green",
"Thai Black" and a black culmed plant from Indonesia.

Because of the long flowering cycle, most asper grown today originates from the
seeding of those in the 1990's. New crops are most commonly cultivated from
branch cuttings or culm node cuttings. Some parks with large areas use it as an
ornamental plant because of its large size and impressive culms.