The culms are tall and erect, usually between 10 and 15 metres (33 and 49 ft) but occasionally reaching up to 22 metres (72 ft); with arching or drooping upper sections often leaning on nearby trees or vegetation for partial support.

Young shoots are pale to purplish green and covered with sharp, stiff, black to brown hairs.

It is found principally in the central (Analamazaotra and around Moramunga, east of the capital Antananarivo) and southeast (Ranomafana National Park and around Ifanadiana) regions where it receives sufficient rainfall.

The destruction of the C. madagascarensis habitat due to slash and burn agriculture and over harvesting of natural stands has drastically reduced the range of both the greater bamboo lemur and especially the golden bamboo lemur.

[5] It is unknown how the lemurs can process the high amounts of cyanide, particularly in its growing shoots, without any harm.