1 6

Vaaste / Bamboo / वास्ते / Indian Thorny Bamboo / Bambusa bambos L.

Local Name: Vaaste / Bamboo / वास्ते

Common Name: Indian Thorny Bamboo

Botanical Name: Bambusa bambos L.

Status & Habitat

Status: Cultivable

Habitat: Herb

Occurrence: Riverside, Farm bunds, Hilly areas

Season of Availability: Year-round

Geography: South Asia

Method of Propagation: Seed and vegetative propagation

Part used for Propagation: Rhizome cutting, culm cuttings, seeds, Branch cuttings

Edible Parts

Edible Parts: Tender Shoots

Can be Eaten Raw: Yes

Method of Consumption

Raw: No

Ripe: N/A

Both Raw & Ripe: N/A

Dangerous Form to Consume: N/A

As Food: Tender bamboo shoots are used to make vegetable

As Medicine: Paste can be made from the roots or shoots of bamboo to heal eczema and ringworm, respectively.
Cooking Without Prior Boiling: Yes, overnight soaking

Boiling Before Cooking: Yes

Pickling: Yes

Brining: Yes

Fermenting: Yes

Drying for later Consumption: No

Overall Method: The stems are not commonly eaten, but its resin can be powdered and mixed in honey, ghee, water or milk.

Nutritional & Medicinal Benefits

Nutritional Benefit: Rich in dietary fiber.

Medicinal Benefit: Relieves indigestion. Vaaste is cooling, helps in joint pains, stimulates menstrual cycles and relieves period cramps, and is anti-microbial

Tribal Wisdom

Tribal Wisdom: Use a paste of the roots on areas affected by eczema and discoloration; use a powder of the dried resin to cure cough and cold when mixed in honey, and to cure nausea and diarrhea when mixed in milk

Recipes

Tribal Recipe: Not typically eaten, but a paste can be made from the roots or shoots of bamboo to heal eczema and ringworm, respectively.