10 Types of Bamboo in India | Bamboo Varieties in India

Read the article to learn about the Types of Bamboo in India and everything about these fast-growing and fairly popular ornamental plants!

The word “Bamboo” has its roots in Portuguese or Dutch language.  The scientific name of the bamboo is “Babusaideae.” There are around 125 bamboo species in India, both native and exotic. They are perennial flowering plants, evergreen in nature. Except for Kashmir, where they do not occur naturally, you can find bamboos all around the country. Besides that, almost 50% of the bamboo species occur in eastern Indian states like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, West Bengal, Tripura, etc. of which Assam produces the maximum amount of bamboo in India. Let’s have a look at some of the Types of Bamboo in India.

Types of Bamboo in India

India is the second-largest producer of bamboos in the world. The following section contains all the information about the  Bamboo Varieties in India.

1. Bambusa strita

Native to the Indo-china, this bamboo can grow 17-32 feet in height and up to 4-8 centimeters in diameter. The cultivation of this bamboo takes place all over the country. Apart from its decorative purpose, the plant also has uses in the making of furniture, toys, and construction.

2. Bambusa tulda

One of the most useful varieties of bamboos, Bambusa is native to the Indian subcontinent. Also famous as Indian timber or Bengal bamboo, it can reach up to a height of 15-25 feet and has a dull green color. It has substantial use in the paper pulp industry.

3. Bambusa polymorpha

This evergreen variety of large and green clumping bamboo has edible shoots with a sweet taste. It can reach up to 20-40 feet in height. Apart from being useful in the making of furniture, handicrafts, and house construction, this bamboo can also be used in landscaping.

4. Bambusa balcooa

Another bamboo variety native to northeast India is also known as Female bamboo. It can grow up to 39-73 feet tall and 6-15 cm in diameter. Almost all the parts of this plant are useful in one way or the other. The stems of this plant are useful in bridges and fishing and agriculture implements, woven mats, and in the formation of rikshaw hood frames. The shoots are also edible as vegetables and leaves as fodder.

5. Bambusa arundinacea

This bamboo species have its origin in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It can grow up to 20-50 feet tall with a shiny bright green color and thorny stems. The young shoots are eaten as food in some parts of India. The leaves can also serve as fodder. This variety occupies 15% of all bamboos in India.

6.  Bambusa nana

Another variety of bamboo that is very beautiful, it is useful as a screening. It can grow up to 20- 30 feet in height and a prevalent decorative plant owing to its appealing foliage. These plants also have edible shoots.

7. Melocanna baccifera

This evergreen variety of bamboo that can reach a height of 32-65 feet. It is another bamboo native to India that grows mostly as an ornamental plant. Commonly known as berry bamboo, this plant occupies larger spaces due to its aggressive growth. Due to its strength, this variety is mostly useful in construction purposes as the bamboo.

8. Dendrocalamus giganteus

It also goes by the name of dragon bamboo or giant bamboo and grows up to 90-100 feet tall. In India, you can find this in Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Sikkim in the northeast, and Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu in South India. The cultivation of this variety takes place for handicrafts.

9. Gigantochloa rostrata

Another evergreen type of bamboo that is perennial in nature. This variety of bamboos are tufted with culms that can go as high as 16-26 feet and have a diameter of 3-5 cm. Useful in the making of hats and baskets, you can find this throughout east India and in some parts of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.

10. Dendrocalamus strictus

This variety is also famous as male bamboo or Narbas; it is one of the most commonly used varieties of Indian bamboo. It can attain a height of 30-70 feet. People use them to make tool handles, chicks, agricultural equipment, furniture, mats, and baskets.