Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda Microphylla

Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda 'Microphylla' is a medium to small-sized bamboo, very graphic. Its canes, a beautiful green with hints of pale yellow-olive, are adorned with curiously swollen and flattened nodes, and they bear small, thin and feathery foliage, arranged beautifully in layers. With a graceful, almost weeping habit, the plant looks wonderful in a grove. For example, place it in a large pot or container, and this collectible bamboo will surely arouse curiosity. Slightly spreading, decorative all year round, resistant to cold as well as heat, it thrives in partial shade, in cool and deep soil.

Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda 'Microphylla' (synonym Qiongzhuea tumidinoda) is native to valleys located in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan, near the borders of Myanmar and Vietnam. Introduced to England in 1987, it slowly spreads throughout Europe where it remains rarely cultivated. This 'Microphylla' form only differs from the 'Macrophylla' variety in the size of its leaves, which are much smaller and thinner. Perfectly suited to temperate climates, it tolerates temperatures as low as -15°C. Like all bamboos, it belongs to the family of Poaceae or grasses. This moderately growing bamboo exhibits a wide, open and particularly flexible habit. It has a trailing rhizome rootstock that slowly colonizes the soil around the stumps. Its culms (or canes) are a pale olive green, slightly tinged with yellow, with a diameter of 2 to 3cm (0.8 to 1.2in), reaching a height of 3 to 5m (9ft 10in to 16ft 5in). One of the characteristics of this bamboo lies in its large and flattened nodes, arranged at regular intervals along the culms. Their diameter often reaches twice that of the internodes. Its evergreen foliage, of great lightness, consists of short, very narrow leaves of a beautiful light green, slightly trailing.

Relatively easy to cultivate, hardy against cold as well as occasional droughts, this bamboo allows for the creation of highly poetic scenes, reminiscent of Japanese maples. It is perfectly suited for Zen, exotic or contemporary gardens. Avoid planting it in hot sun, in excessively dry soils, and in windy locations. It can be planted as a hedge, in isolated groups, but also in containers where it performs very well. It integrates quite easily into the garden, pairing well with trees such as the caramel tree, Japanese maples in all their forms, and certain weeping conifers. In a more shrub-like bed, it accompanies the sacred bamboo, spindle trees, or Loropetalum. It can also be combined with black bamboo and different varieties of Fargesia, for a highly successful tropical scene. With its unique design, Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda 'Microphylla' is the ideal bamboo to give a very exotic character to even the most modest decor!

In Asia, the culms of this bamboo are used to make umbrella and walking canes. In fact, Charlie Chaplin's famous cane was made from Chinobambusa tumidissinoda.