Is the world's smallest bamboo, Pleioblastus fortunei, a tree? Value and cultivation

Pleioblastus fortunei, one of the smallest bamboos in the world, has little value for timber or bamboo shoots, but it has high ornamental value and forage value. So, is the world's smallest bamboo, Pleioblastus fortunei, a tree? What are its main values? How is it cultivated?

1. Is the world's smallest bamboo, Pleioblastus fortunei, a tree?

Bamboo is a perennial evergreen monocotyledonous plant of the grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae (some taxonomists classify bamboos separately as the family Bambusaceae). There are tree types, shrub types and vine types, and also a very small number with short, slender culms and soft texture that appear herbaceous. The cultivated bamboo species with economic value are all tree-like. The growth and development of bamboo differ from that of ordinary trees and shrubs: their culms have a short lifespan and a long flowering cycle, and species dispersal and reproductive renewal are mainly achieved through the division of vegetative parts.

2. What are its main values?

1. Ornamental value

Pleioblastus fortunei is a low-growing plant with graceful leaves, often planted in gardens for ornament; it is very suitable as ground cover, a hedge, or paired with ornamental rocks; it is also a good material for planting in pots or bonsai. It is dignified and elegant, and is a rare and precious variety among ornamental bamboos.

2. Forage value

Pleioblastus fortunei has good climatic adaptability in the Xu-Huai area of Jiangsu, and has the advantages of high yield and good quality. It can be promoted and used on a large scale in that area as green fodder corn, and used as an excellent succulent green feed for raising cattle, sheep, pigs, rabbits, fish and so on.

The leaf moisture content of Pleioblastus fortunei is 57.71%, crude protein is 13.14%, crude fat is 6.24%, crude fiber is 39.02%, crude ash is 14.42%, and available sugar is 5.29%; the leaves of Pleioblastus fortunei contain 18 protein amino acids and 1 non-protein amino acid, C-aminobutyric acid, among which all 8 essential amino acids for animals can be detected, and their content is relatively rich. From the perspective of nutritional composition, the best mowing time for Pleioblastus fortunei is from August to October.

3. How is it cultivated?

The cultivation technique for Pleioblastus fortunei mainly adopts the method of dividing mother plants. In February to March, transplant clustered mother plants together with their underground stems and soil; the mother plant roots are shallow, and sometimes it is difficult to keep the soil, so they should be dug and planted promptly. Transplanting during the growing season must be done with soil, otherwise it is not easy to survive. After planting, water thoroughly and move to a shady, moist place for maintenance for a period.

Pleioblastus fortunei is suitable for using fertile garden soil or leaf mold plus a small amount of sand as the substrate. It is usually planted in rectangular or oval shallow pots; the drainage hole at the bottom should be lined with a layer of window screen, with a layer of coarse sand placed on top as a drainage layer. When planting, deliberately set the spacing so that it is both sparse and dense, and according to the rise and fall of the soil surface in the pot, create a miniature of a natural landscape.

[Maintenance points]

Because Pleioblastus fortunei is small in size and its root system is shallowly distributed, daily maintenance requires careful management and meticulous operation.

From June to September, take care to avoid direct scorching sun, and give it about 3 hours of light each day or place it in a spot with bright scattered light. Otherwise, strong light will make the surface soil dry out too quickly and the temperature too high, leading to scorched leaves and even death in severe cases. However, long-term shading is also unfavorable to its growth and development.

Do not water too much; keep it constantly moist but not too wet. Around the time of shoot emergence from April to May, the water should be more ample, and cake fertilizer water should be applied 1-2 times to promote the robust development of new plants; in the hot summer climate, it is not suitable to fertilize, and after the autumn cools, fertilize 2 more times. After winter begins, when the temperature drops to 3-5°C, it should be moved indoors together with the pot, and it can overwinter safely as long as the room temperature is not below minus 3°C. At this stage, there should be appropriate light, which is even more beneficial for its safe overwintering.

After 3 years of pot cultivation, overly dense old culms should be cut away to facilitate renewal.

[Pest and disease control]

Pleioblastus fortunei has very few pests and diseases, and its management is simple and extensive.