The culms develope dark color blotches. The culms are whitish green. The culms are green with brown or purplish-black grooves. The pictured culms are new and do not yet have this bamboo's characteristic markings. The culms and branches turn from green to yellow as they mature.
Some culms have green stripes between the internodes.
The culms are green when they first appear, but over time fade to a whitish yellow. The culms usually have a white powdery band beneath each node.