Dendrocalamus asper Backer ex K.Heyne

Culms 15–20 m, 6–10(–12) cm in diam.; internodes 30–50 cm. Branches from ca. 9th node up, central branch dominant. Culm sheaths deciduous, initially light green, leathery, apex rounded; ligule 7–10 mm, margin with brown setae; auricles linear, ca. 20 × 7 mm, margin undulate; oral setae present; blade reflexed, lanceolate. Leaf sheaths initially sparsely hairy, becoming glabrous; ligule truncate, ca. 2 mm, entire or serrulate; blade variable, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, (10–)20–30(–35) × (1.5–)3–5 cm. Spikelets 6–9 mm; florets 4 or 5, apical one sterile. Glumes 1 or 2, ovate-lanceolate; lemma broadly ovate, margins ciliate; palea about as long as lemma, keels and margins ciliate, 1–3-veined between and 2-veined on either side of keels. Anthers 3–5 mm, apex apiculate. Ovary hairy; style hairy; stigmas 1. Fruit unknown.

A tropical bamboo. In tropical Asia it grows from sea level to 1500 m altitude. It does best between 400-500 m altitude. It grows best on heavy soils with good drainage. It is found in Makiling Forest in Laguna in the Philippines at lower elevations and also in Mindanao.In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. In XTBG Yunnan. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

The tender shoots are eaten as a vegetable or pickled in vinegar or salted. The shoots are harvested before they emerge from the soil. The shoots have good canning quality.

It can be grown from rhizomes, culm or branch cuttings. The spacing is 5-10 m apart. Mulching is essential to produce young shoots.