Edible Bamboo (Moso)
Phyllostachys edulis
Phyllostachys edulis, the mōsō bamboo, or tortoise-shell bamboo, or mao zhu, , is a temperate species of giant timber bamboo native to China and Taiwan and naturalised elsewhere, including Japan where it is widely distributed from south of Hokkaido to Kagoshima. The edulis part of the Latin name refers to its edible shoots. This bamboo can reach heights of up to 28 m (92 ft). This particular species of bamboo is the most common species used in the bamboo textile industry of China and other countries, for the production of rayon. Moso is less cold-hardy than many Phyllostachy, surviving at a reduced height down to −15 °C (5 °F).
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
⚠ Safety
Shoots must be cooked (raw shoots contain cyanogenic compounds). Running bamboo spreads aggressively — install a deep root barrier.
At a glance
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Water need
- Medium
- Mature height
- 8 m
- Maintenance
- Low
- Hardiness
- USDA 7–10
- Layers
- canopy, shrub
Functional roles
Propagation
How to make more of this plant for free — the permaculture way.
When: Divide rhizomes spring
Fast screen/windbreak and a crop of spring shoots; treat the spreading roots with real respect.
Where to get it
Read more
Seed data pending expert review. Identification photo and description are sourced from Wikipedia/Wikimedia; always confirm a plant in person before eating any part of it.