Description:

Himalayacalamus falconeri “Damarapa’ earns the name “Candy Cane Bamboo” from its wonderfully colored culms and leaf sheaths. Depending on exposure, the sheaths are green to burgundy, and the canes are vertically striped with yellows, greens and shades of red. Colors are very striking on more mature plantings with patial sun exposure. This robust clumping bamboo can reach heights of over 25’ with a culm diameter around 1.5” under ideal growing conditions. Performs best with some protection from hot afternoon sun, growing in rich, organic, slightly acid soils, and is hardy to about 15 degrees F.  This is a great specimen for an eye-catching focal point!

Planting History:

I purchased a plant by mail order in November 2002, wintered it over in the garage, and planted it out in spring 2003.  The plant grew vigorously in a location shaded from afternoon sun by an east-facing wall, and protected under an oversize eave and proximity to the house.  A particularly abrupt cold snap in winter 2003 defoliated the plant, and I was forced to dig it up and pot it, and pull it in the garage over winter.  By spring 2004, all the canes died back to the ground, but new shoots emerged over summer.  The plant wintered over well in an unheated hoop house, and produced several new shoots over the 2005 growing season, the tallest of which is about 7' tall.  New shoots continued to emerge well into September, going into stasis by mid-October. 

The container plants I have purchased for resale have proven to be robust, fast growing, tolerant of container culture, and easy to propagate.