Indocalamus tessellatus

Indocalamus tessellatus
'Giant Leaf Bamboo'
Home Bamboo Information News Photos Specials Order

Indocalamus tessellatus
'GIANT LEAF'
Average mature size . 5 " x 10 ' Hardy to -10 F
Sun to Shaded Site

Great Privacy Screening for 8 to 10 feet

This bamboo has the largest leaves of any bamboo in cultivation in the U.S. It adapts to all planting sites. They can be up to 24 " X 4" They are truly large leaves and have many uses. For example Chinese and Japanese have used them in cooking by wrapping food in them prior to steaming. They also are currently being used in floral arrangements. This species is used in many countries for erosion control along flood plains. It makes a great indoor container plant since it adapts to low lighting very well. One of our groves has reached 12 feet in height along the river side of the grove. It has thousands of rhizomes (roots) hanging over in the water picking up just whatever water it needs through out our hot summer months. On new plantings this species will get leaf damage at around 0 to 5 degrees F. On older established groves it will remain evergreen to -10 with very little foliage damage.

I recommend this species for Climate Zones 5 and warmer.
3 gallon - $40
Climate Zone 5 or warmer
Sun or Shade

Large Field dug divisions $80

To order or if can help in anyway,
please call us at 1-877-RZN-CANE
or 205-686-5728

P. auresulcata along side Indocalamus tessellatus.

This bamboo is an extremely hardy semi dwarf species that can grow
to an average height of 7 feet with a diameter of 1/2 inches. It has the distinction
of bearing the largest leaves of any bamboo in cultivation, up to
24 inches by 4 inches. It adapts very well to shaded sites and
is a favorite pick for indoor container growth.

Note that the above specimen plant is about 12 foot tall.
Under ideal growing conditions, plants may reach larger heights and
diameters than those listed by the American Bamboo Society.

You can see that these leaves are very large and why it's the largest leaf bamboo in cultivation in the United Sates. The large leaf is used in food preparation in many cultures. Food is wrapped with this large foliage and steamed.

This species is used extensively for erosion control in China and Japan. We have a fairly large grove planted on the river bank and it has really done the job for us. You can see the river in the background which was slowly eroding our front yard.

Indocalamus grows very well as an under story species
with any of the larger bamboo and loves a shaded site.

Below is a picture that one of our customers (Oswalt)
sent us of his bamboo in it's new indoor home.

Fog from the river over I. tessellatus.

Below photo was taken from river in front of our home on Wolf Creek. This grove of tessellatus averages 8 to 12 feet in height. It completely stopped all erosion on this bank in 6 years and has spread an amazing 56 feet from the original planting site.