How to Grow & Propagate Dendrocalamus Validus from Bamboo Culm Cuttings

So in March 2017 I was at my rental property doing the annual maintenance on the bamboo there.  I had planted Dendrocalamus validus in the front corner of the back yard, however, it turned out to be too close to the fence and grew under it.  After some intense labor to dig up several large divisions, I decided to to attempt to propagate this bamboo from culm cuttings.

dendrocalamus validus culm cutting propagationNow I’ve propagated numerous other bamboos from culm cuttings, including Bambusa lako, Bambusa vulgaris, Bambusa vulgaris vittata, and Bambusa dissimulator, but never a Dendrocalamus.  So using the same method I previously used, I wound up about 20 cuttings which were put into groups containers containing a peak/perlite mixture.  The container was then placed in a shady spot of my yard, with the only maintenance was the occasional watering to keep the soil moist and keeping the open part of the culm filled water.

As of today, March 10 2018, it appears that quite possibly all the cuttings rooted.  All are showing signs of new leaf and branch growth.

You can watch the video below I took of documenting the process in March 2017.  I’ll be making a new video soon as I carefully transfer these from the community propagation container into their own pots.

You can view my video documenting the process for propagating clumping bamboo via division

2 thoughts on “How to Grow & Propagate Dendrocalamus Validus from Bamboo Culm Cuttings

  • December 3, 2022 at 2:09 am
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    Hi, very helpful advice – thank you! Could I please ask how far above a cut culm with roots and rhizomes does the new foliage grow. So say a 2 metre culm for a hedge . How high could the hedge reach?

  • December 4, 2022 at 2:03 pm
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    Once the propagation has developed its own roots and produces new growth, it will develop into an identical clone of the original. So eventually, maybe in 5-7 years you’ll be seeing mature size height, which for D. Validus is 60-80 feet tall and 5 inches diameter.

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