This is an important question because after growing a bamboo plant, you’d be anticipating that lush evergreen screen. Right?
The video info gives clarity on how a bamboo plant grows from year to year. If you want to know how fast bamboo grows, check out this article.
But, bamboo plants like other plants will take time to grow to reach full height and maturity. This video shows first-year growth.
Under the right conditions, bamboo plants will provide that beautiful greenery within 3 years. The first growth will continue to mature for up to 5 years and, interestingly, remain evergreen for up to 20 years.
The new shoots will be taller than the previous growth until the bamboo grove reaches its maximum height.
Thereafter, the bamboo grove will remain evergreen for as long as it can.
As the bamboo matures, you will need to prune the old bamboo culms and rhizomes to promote new growth. Or transplant the ones that outgrow the pots.
Here are some guides to bamboo Care and Maintenance Tools that you will find useful if you have older bamboo plants in your garden.
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Related articles on Evergreen Outdoor Privacy Screen
Readers' note: This article is so long that we split it into several parts. Here are the related parts that you may also like to read:
Bamboo plants in pot and container planters are great for instant privacy screens. Besides, you do not have to worry about the bamboos’ invasiveness because the planters are barriers.
They also provide the benefit of moving them around to optimise on space available, perfect for small and narrow spaces.
There are more benefits to using the plants. However, growing bamboo in pot and container planters requires extra care and attention, unlike the garden hedging bamboo screens.
In this article, you will find out about how to:
choose the best bamboo for small outdoor spaces,
select the best planters to grow bamboo and
provide long-term care for the bamboo plants.
How to select the best pots and containers?
There are a lot of recommendations for larger and bigger bamboo planters, but these are not often the best recommendations for narrow outdoor areas like the deck, patio, balcony or porch.
Unless, of course, use a bigger planter if the outdoor area has enough space for a bigger plant.
When choosing a pot or container for growing bamboo, size, weight and stability matter!
That begs the question what is the best pot or container for planting bamboo plants?
The three-pointers will help you to identify the bamboo planter that suits you.
A strong and durable frost resistant pot or container planter will act as a root barrier and protect the plant against the cold. Avoid the thin plastic pots because they do not stand a chance against the bamboo rhizomes and clumps in compacted space.
Avoid growing bamboo in containers that have small openings and heavy tops. If you use these planters, it will be hard to remove the bamboo plants for repotting, or the tall plants will topple to the ground.
Perhaps the important point to consider when selecting a pot or container for growing bamboo is the space available on your porch, patio, deck or balcony. Most of these spaces are usually narrow.
Ideally, the narrow rectangular heavy-duty containers are best for this kind of space. For the corners, you may want to choose a heavy-duty square container planter.
Some DIY wooden and metal containers are great for other plants, but not ideal for bamboo plants.
Furthermore, the metals pots do not have good insulations as they either absorb or lose heat pretty quickly in Summer and Winter, respectively.
If you still wish to use DIY wooden containers to grow bamboo, the best thing to do is to use the treated timbers that can last longer than 5 years.
As for the metal containers, ensure that they are well insulated from heat and cold.
Above all, ensure that the pot and container planters for growing bamboo are strong and stable, are well insulated, and have good drainage.
Choose large pots or container planters
You can move the bamboo into a larger pot or container planters. It is going to be a tedious operation getting the bamboo out.
However, if you are using the square and rectangular container box, you’ll find it easier to uproot the plant and repot it while saving the old container box.
In a case where it is difficult to remove the plant from the container planter, you will have to decide whether to keep the plant or keep the planter box. That means that you will have to destroy one and save the other.
The best time for repotting a bamboo plant into the container planters is early Spring when the new growths are prominent.
Avoid environmental stress in confined areas
Like other potted plants, bamboos in pots require attention if they were to thrive in the confined space.
One of the main reasons why bamboo leaves turn yellow (more info here) is the lack of moisture and nutrient in the soil.
Undoubtedly, bamboo in pots and container boxes will grow well where there is good moisture and nutrient in the soil.
Many pot and container planter boxes have a hollow bottom where the water drains out pretty quickly.
Bamboo plants tend to lose more water through transpiration through the thin and slender leaves compared to other thick leaves plants.
Poor drainage and a high rate of transpiration are often the main reasons why the soil in pot planters becomes devoid of nutrients and moisture. This is the main cause of the yellowing of bamboo leaves and browning culms.
How to improve soil condition in pots?
There are two things you can do to improve the soil moisture and soil nutrients in pot and container planters.
Firstly, fill the base of the pot and container planters with pebbles, gravel or a porous pot filler to stop it from losing water.
Do not block the hole at the bottom of the planters completely because the bamboo plants dislike waterlogged containers.
In addition, leave a spacing of about 10cm to 15 cm at the top of the pot and container planters after you’ve planted the bamboo. This space is very important for mulching and fertilising the plants later.
Secondly, use nutrient-rich loam soil and or potting compost when potting bamboo plants into containers to give them the best start.
Here is the right mixture of clay to sand to silt to create an ideal loam for growing bamboo.
Alternatively, a 50/50 mix potting compost contains the right nutrient and moisture for new bamboo plants to thrive in the pots.
If you need more information on how to grow bamboo, check out the Instructional Guides from YouGarden.
How to stop tall bamboo in pots from falling down?
Ominously, the tall bamboo plants will sway in the wind and topple to the ground if the pots are unstable. When this happens, you are likely to have a damaged plant, or pot, or both.
To avoid bamboo in pots falling to the ground, choose a pot or container planter with good stability.
A regular occurrence is when the tall bamboo culms lean out of the bamboo cluster or grove. In this case, use the garden ropes to tie them back.
Protect potted bamboo roots and rhizomes from cold and frost
The bamboos in pots and container planters require insulation in Winter when the temperature falls to negative values.
Although the bamboo plants are tough and hardy, the roots and rhizomes are above ground level and are directly exposed to the weather, unlike the plants on the ground.
The bamboo plants in the planter pots are prone to frost, frozen soil and, even, the Winter’s chill.
The best way to protect the bamboo in the planters is to add mulch and cover the base of the pots with an insulating blanket, bubble wrap or special plant insulation fleece.
Do these when bamboo in pot and container planters grow big
The running and clumping bamboo plants will reach full growth in the pots and containers within 2 – 5 years. That is the period when the plants are at their peak.
They’ll display evergreen foliage, shiny culms and beautiful leaves – an ideal time to enjoy the beauty of your bamboo plants.
The plants will thrive for more than 5 to 10 years in large pot planters under the right conditions and care mentioned in this article.
To continue to enjoy them, there are a couple of things you can do to keep the plants in the pot longer.
How to maintain bamboo plants in pots and containers?
Bamboo plants are relatively hardy bamboo and can withstand air temperatures as low as – 20 degrees Celsius in normal growing conditions.
However, bamboo plants in pots and containers without the right insulations will struggle to survive at such very low temperatures.
So the first thing to do before planting them is to insulate the containers by using styrofoam which is light and great for extra insulation.
In addition, the new bamboo plants are prone to slugs damage. Add Slugs and Snail Killer to protect new shoots and rhizome tips.
Here are some general protection measures to apply when planting bamboo in pot and container planters;
Apply Slug and Snail Killer around your new bamboo.
Add organic mulch.
Tie the long culms to bamboo sticks or poles.
Add insulation inside the pot and containers.
Cover the pots and containers with additional insulation fleece or blanket when the temperature drops to negative degrees Celsius.
‘Thinning’ bamboo in pot and container planters
Remove the old unhealthy culms (canes) to give the new shoots a chance to reach full height. In fact, the new shoots will be stronger and taller than previous bamboos, so encourage new growth if you want taller and healthier plants.
After 5 – 10 years, you will have to carry out ‘thinning’. Remove the older bamboo culms and rhizomes from the pots and containers, and separate the culms into segments for repotting. This activity is best done in Spring.
At this juncture, we provided insight into how to select and grow the perfect bamboo plants in pots for the small outdoor space at home, the office or the rental place.
Growing bamboo in pots is the best way to stop them from spreading. It makes it easier to move them around and can be used as screens indoors and outdoors.
Despite the benefits, there are also limitations to growing bamboo in pots.
There are two groups of bamboo plants to grow in pot and container planters - the running bamboo and the clumping bamboo.
The former has horizontal stems called ‘rhizomes’ that can grow up to a metre away from the parent plant in just one growing season.
The latter forms a tight base around the parent bamboo, forming dense clusters of canes (culms) and tend to expand in time.
Growing bamboo in pots and containers is an effective way to stop the invasion and or expansion of the running and clumping bamboo plants.
They provide a formidable barrier, restricting the rhizomes from spreading.
Limitations of growing bamboo in pot and container planter boxes
Most bamboo plants are tolerant of pests and diseases and thrive in variable outdoor conditions.
This group of plants are, in fact, tough and hardy but are limited to the size and conditions present in the pot and container planters where they are growing.
Here are likely limitations for growing bamboo plants in pots, containers and planters.
Bamboo plants will succumb to environmental stress in containers.
Tall bamboo in pots will sway and fall in breezy conditions.
Bamboo roots and rhizomes are exposed to cold and heat above the ground.
Running and clumping bamboo will outgrow the planters in 2 – 5 years.
The plants will not grow to the maximum height and will not attain the maximum spread.
To grow bamboo in pot and container planters, you should create (and maintain) the best possible conditions for the plants in the confined space.
The pots contain soil and water. They are practically immovable.
You can move the smaller bamboo pots by using old cardboard boxes to slide them across the floor.
If you need help moving the heavier bamboo pot and container boxes, the Hand Truck will make the heavy work easier.
With some help, you can arrange (and rearrange) the bamboo pots and container boxes neatly to suit your design and liking.
In some cases, you may have to move the bamboo in pots to a site where there is enough sun. The bamboo varieties prefer sun to shade or part shade. By doing this, you can get the best out of your plant.
In other cases, your bamboo may not grow well in the planters. These bamboo plants will need to be removed.
In fact, growing bamboo in pot and container planters is a great way to provide privacy screening for a small space, home, office or rented place.
Bamboo plants are great shade plants. They are also undemanding, shade and drought tolerant. Some varieties are invasive whereas the others are non-invasive.
The new bamboo in pot and container planters will need the right amount of water and attention in Spring as the roots start to develop.
Pay extra attention when planting the bamboo cuttings in late Spring or early Summer as they will need water every other day to support the new growths.
Mulching is highly recommended at this stage too, as it will help to retain moisture in the soil or in the pots and containers.
For the older bamboo plants, you will have to add NPK fertilisers, fresh organic mulch and water to keep them happy.
The best way to check for moisture in the soil is to dig out a layer of soil to a depth of 5cm. It is an effective way to inspect the soil for moisture content.
The soil in the pots and containers should be nice and moist, not too dry or too wet.
If it gets too cold in Winter, move the plant into a sheltered area like the garage, patio or veranda to keep them warm and safe from the chill and wind.
Add more mulch or grass cutting to provide the added layer and heat.
Growing bamboo in pot and container planter boxes for privacy screening might seem like hard work, but frankly, it's not.
These stunning plants, like other privacy and hedging plants, will need just the right attention to thrive in contained spaces.
The bamboo plants require watering, feeding and mulching. They’ll also demand separation and repotting.
Generally, bamboo plants will thrive in container planters for 5 – 10 years. All the while, producing the evergreen foliage and providing natural privacy screens.
The common running and clumping bamboo plants in the UK will grow well in large planters. Many bamboo cultivators of both bamboo kinds are notable for their tolerance to small spaces.
In fact, bamboo plants are low demanding, hardy and drought resistant.
They are great plants to grow in pots, containers and plants indoors and outdoors.
Do you know they're running and clumping black bamboos that thrive in the UK? These black bamboos, including the Nigra, tend to exhibit dark ebony stem colouration.
The options for choosing running and clumping black bamboos are many, but here are 3 best running and clumping bamboo you can grow in pots or in the garden.
Running black bamboo plants
The common black bamboo is the elegant Phyllostachys Nigra.
It has distinction black ebony culms (canes/stems) that identify it as the common ‘Black Bamboo’ with running rhizomes and slender green leaves.
This running bamboo is awarded the RHS merit for its unique features. The RHS described it as
‘one of the most elegant bamboos, with polished, damson-black mature canes and dark green leaves.’
Check out the black bamboo plants for sale at Crocus.co.uk
Clump-forming black bamboo plants
Another black bamboo is the Black Pearl Fountain Bamboo. Black Pearl is a spectacular fountain bamboo of the Fargesia nitida group with purply black culms and overarching green foliage, non-invasive.
The third black bamboo is Fargesia nitida ‘Volcano’. It is a stunning, non-invasive bamboo, with a reddish-black cane (culm) and brown sheath that forms a beautiful contrast between the dense green leaves.
Check out these UK retailers where you can buy the clumping and running bamboo plants.
Are the black bamboo plants invasive?
The three bamboos are ideal pot and garden plants. These bamboo plants will thrive under the right conditions in the UK.
Black Bamboo Nigra:
The Phyllostachys nigra is an invasive and tall running bamboo. The black bamboo can grow to 6m, and is upright with arching evergreen foliage.
However, in the cooler temperate conditions (and in pots the Black Bamboo Nigra) may not behave like a running bamboo.
It often shows the features of the clumping bamboo by forming tight clumps.
Black Bamboo Phyllostachys nigra
More information about here>> Black Bamboo Nigra. You can also check out the names-links for a detailed insight into each type of black bamboo.
The article puts into perspective why it is important to use the right pot plants and why you should follow each step above.
Re-potting black bamboo plants
The black bamboo plants will require to be moved into a bigger pot or into multiple pots. Either way, you will need additional help.
The plants that are grown in the pots with the small top and open bottom are going to be really hard to remove.
Therefore, it is important to choose a pot that has an open top, which is going to make your work easier when it comes to removing the plants from the pot for repotting.
To re-pot, firstly separate the plants into smaller segments (ideally 2 or 4 parts), then soak the segments in water and then plant them in pots or in the garden. Careful not to disturb any rooting and budding rhizomes.
This activity is best done in early Spring!
Select a site for growing black bamboo
When growing bamboo as a garden hedge or for screening an unsightly structure near the boundary, it is important to choose the site carefully.
There are three things you can do to stop the running black bamboo from invading other spaces.
Use root barriers
Build a raised structure
Plant the bamboo 1 to 2 metres away from the boundary, patio, pavement and building.
Grow black bamboo in the garden
Choose the site carefully.
Dig a hole twice the size of the diameter and depth of the pot holding the plant.
Soak the black bamboo in water before planting it.
Add nutrient-rich soil and compost.
Compact the soil into the ground.
Add mulch.
Water generously.
Fast-growing plants
The running bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) and clumping bamboos (Black Pearl & Volcano) are fast-growing plants.
The new culms can grow up to 2cm per day or 60cm per month. The former is a tall arching plant, whereas the two clumping black bamboo plants will grow to 4m or less.
When pruning or thinning bamboo plants, it is important to cut the canes close to the ground. This will give the new shoots an opportunity to grow well.
Also, you'll get tall bamboo canes that have tough 'bottoms' and can last longer in the soil.
When prepping bamboo canes, always remove the branches and leaves neatly, do not work against the grain.
Trim the branches using a pair of secateurs or sharp knives. In addition, use a garden rope to tie the bamboo canes (see image) into a bundle.
That way, it's nice and neat as well as light and easy to store and move around when you need them.
5 preps tips for long-lasting bamboo canes
Work out how high you want the plant to grow.
Use a pair of secateurs to cut bamboo canes (cut close to the nodes, careful not to split the bamboos).
Use a digging tool to make holes deep into the pot and push the bamboo canes into the holes.
Compact the soil around the bamboo canes.
Use garden ropes to tie the potted plants to the bamboo canes.
*If you are building a wigwam-climbing frame for the crawling plants like the trellis, follow steps 1 – 4 and use smaller bamboo canes to tie them together)
Cut bamboo canes close to the nodes
Although bamboo canes have a high resistance to rotting, the exposed ends can disintegrate quickly.
The part of bamboo cane inside the soil will rot when it is exposed to water and moisture.
However, when cut close to the nodes, it acts as a barrier and can slow down the bamboo cane from rotting quickly.
Avoid splitting bamboo canes
Use a sharp pair of secateurs and do a clean-cut at the bottom of the bamboo canes.
Avoid splitting the bamboo during cutting.
Your bamboo canes will last longer, and you'll be able to re-use them for many years if they stay whole.
Be careful not to split the bamboo canes because the splinters are sharp and can cause nasty cuts to exposed skins, too.
All in all, cut the bamboo close to the ground (during pruning) and close to the node before using it to support your plants in the pots.
Bamboo canes great for vines and new plants
The bamboo canes are tall, slender, rounded, tough and strong. They are the perfect support for new plants, vines, beans and garden and pot plants that need stem support.
The bamboo canes will last for many years. You can use and re-use the canes, they are tough, firm and strong. They are also flexible, you can bend them to your liking and create amazing shapes and designs.
In fact, bamboo canes will form a formidable support system if you use ropes to tie the plants to the canes or group them together into wigwam climber frames.
This has been seen in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and other Asian countries where bamboo canes are used to create stunning garden features.
In the UK, many creative gardeners and homeowners are using bamboo canes to build different support systems for their garden and pot plants.
Can you split bamboo plants for planting? The answer is yes, of course, you can divide bamboo into many parts before planting it in the ground.
But importantly, will the segmented plants do as well as the parent plant? Let’s have a look at how you can divide a bamboo plant and yet get the best result.
Split running bamboo and clumping bamboo
The bamboo plants from the nurseries come in pots ready for planting.
Many gardeners and homeowners prefer to plant the potted bamboo straight into larger pots or in the garden.
It is perfectly fine if you are growing bamboo for decorative purposes or as ornamental pot plants.
However, if you plan to use bamboo as a natural screen for a small outdoor space or for garden hedging, it would be ideal to separate the bamboo into smaller segments so that you can get several plants growing at once.
In fact, you can split both the running and clumping bamboos into small divisions and plant them out. They are vigorous plants and will do well under the right growing conditions.
The best way to split bamboo is to divide them into equal parts while keeping the roots hairs and rhizomes intact.
These 10-pointers will help you to split the bamboo plants and grow them for the best results.
Remove the bamboo from the growing pot. (If the bamboo is too hard to remove, add water – or soak the whole pot in water – before trying again)
Inspect the rhizome nodes, root hairs, and signs of new growth.
Use a hacksaw or handsaw to separate the bamboos. Ideally, you should have 3 – 5 culms on each segmented bamboo.
Remove any dry culms, branches or leaves.
Trim the top of the long culms to redirect nutrients and energy to other parts of the plant where they are needed the most.
Soak the segmented bamboos in water before repotting or planting in the ground. It is a good idea to plant the segmented bamboos into the ground immediately. Always, keep the root moist if you need to take a break before planting.
Splitting bamboo plants into equal segments is particularly beneficial if you do not want to buy additional plants for privacy screening or garden hedging.
In hindsight, you save money when dividing a bamboo plant before planting, and will probably get the most out of what you buy.
Alternatively, grow the bamboo in the garden and separate them as they grow to fill out the gaps in the hedge.
Note that the bamboo plants are fast-growing, but it can take 3 – 5 years before you can safely take cuttings off them.
The major factor that you should consider when splitting bamboo is the growth factor – whether the segmented plants will do well or not!
Split potted bamboo plants before-care
Cutting the plants can cause stress which can destroy the whole bamboo. Instead of getting more than one plant, you might end up getting nothing.
So, here are three things that are important to ensuring the segmented bamboo plants grow: time, site and soil.
Time:
The planting season is important. This is also the time when you can separate the potted bamboo plants and re-grow them.
Many experts recommend planting bamboo early in Spring when the plants’ growth is prominent.
Site:
Prepare the site properly.
Bamboos are tolerant plants. They will grow where you plant them.
However, to create an ideal growing site, dig holes twice as wide as the diameter of the plants, and deeper than the heights of the ‘holding pots’.
Understandably, the wider and deeper the holes, the easier it will be for the new bamboo plants to establish themselves.
Soil:
Use loam soil which is best for growing bamboo plants. Alternatively, use 50/50 compost.
Add mulch and tend the plant immediately after planting and the following Summer to protect and care for them as they grow.
Water generously, but not too much that it gets waterlogged.
Split bamboo plants after-care
In the early stage, you need to pay close attention to the bamboo, especially the bamboo plants that you grow from divisions.
Not only that the plants are under stress, but the new conditions may not be favourable.
Furthermore, it is going to be fairly warm in Spring and Summer. The new plants will require a generous amount of water.
Also, the slugs will be out to ‘party’ – add slug pellets to protect the new growth.
Other care provisions include the following:
staking the new culms so that they do not break,
adding mulch to preserve and or retain moisture, and
weeding and removing fallen leaves that are covering any new growth.
Keep an eye on the new plants to make sure they do not dry out in the summer.
In closure, you can split a bamboo plant into segments and grow them. The pros of splitting bamboo plants outweigh the cons.
Get the time, site and soil right when splitting and planting the bamboo in pots or in the garden.
Newly planted bamboo leaves sometimes turn yellow when you split the potted bamboo and grow them. The main cause of the yellowing of leaves is stress.
If you see that the leaves will turn yellow, or nothing happens, in the first 2 weeks, there is a need to worry.
It will take time, at least 4 to 8 weeks, to see signs of growth.
So, keep watering the plants and check that the soil is not too dry or too wet. (See the video of the bamboo plants we grow from culm cuttings)
If you see no activity after 8 weeks, try these options:
Leave them for a further 2 weeks (By then, the new bamboo plants will have been in the ground for 10 weeks – Spring to Summer).
Dig the plants out and inspect the whole bamboo. (This is the last thing to do- but do not be surprised to see fresh rhizomes or a new shoot popping its ‘head’ out)
Just leave the bamboo in the soil over Autumn and Winter. (Bamboo plants remain inactive on the top, but there will be a lot of activities underneath the soil. Leave the newly planted bamboo plants to rest and check on them the following year).
Time it takes for bamboo to grow
The video shows the time it takes for a new bamboo plant to grow from culm cutting.
Do you know there are several varieties of Phyllostachys aurea?
Cultivars of Phyllostachys aurea bamboo plants
Many garden centres and online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon sell the Phyllostachys aurea bamboo without indicating the exact variety.
When you buy a phyllostachys aurea bamboo, it can be anyone of these 5 plants.
But you do not have to worry.
If you know these simple variations, you can identify the different Phyllostachys aurea cultivators.
Here are quick tips to help you with the four Phyllostachys aurea cultivars.
Phyllostachys aurea ‘Koi’:This is the popular variety among the Phyllostachys aurea group, also known as the Golden Koi Bamboo. It has bright yellow canes with green stripes just above the branches. Its features are opposite of ‘Flavescens Inversa’.
Phyllostachys aurea ‘Flavescens Inversa’: This variety has shiny green culms that are flattened where the branches are. Flavescens Inversa’ is the opposite of ‘Koi’ and has stunning yellow stripes just above the green branches.
Phyllostachys aurea 'Takemurai':This Fish-pole Golden Bamboo will turn golden yellow very quickly compared to its other cousins. It is smaller with broad leaves, has shorter internodes and produces dense arching foliage. It tends to behave more like clumping bamboos in cooler climates.
Phyllostachys aurea ‘Holochrysa’: This Fish-pole Golden Bamboo grows much larger and taller than its other cousins. ‘Holochyrsa’ is sometimes mistaken for Phyllostachys Vivax due to its height and stem colouration, but Vivax is a Timber Bamboo and much bigger in comparison.
Common features of Phyllostachys aurea bamboo plants
We covered the qualities and features of Phyllostachys aurea in detail in this article, the Fish-pole Golden bamboo.
Generally, their stems have thick cell walls. The branches appear in pairs at the node with slim elongated shiny leaves.
Phyllostachys aurea cultivars have light green stems, which gradually turn yellow when the bamboo mature, except for the green culm Phyllostachys aurea ‘Flavescens Inversa’.
The green and golden yellow stem colourations are often prominent in sun.
Although these running bamboos are invasive, they are ideal for gardens and can be well contained in small spaces.
They are perfect for tall garden hedging and privacy screening or for planting in pots and containers.
When to maintain bamboo Phyllostachys aurea?
If you are planning to build a roots barrier or thin out your running bamboo rhizomes and culms, do it in early Spring.
Always add the access soil and mulch to the base of the bamboo plants and tidy up before Summer.
This will stimulate the plants to grow within weeks.
The best mulch for bamboo plants is bamboo leaves. Rake the leaves and put them back near or around the bamboo – here is why the bamboo leaves are better mulch.
Finally, you can identify the Phyllostachys aurea from the stem and colour variations before buying it.
You don’t have to wait until your Phyllostachys aura bamboo grows big to find out.
Use the identifiable features in this article to find out and provide ongoing care and maintenance for your Phyllostachys aurea, the Fish-pole Golden Bamboo.
Know more about Phyllostachys aurea bamboo
The Fish-pole Golden Yellow Bamboo is one of my favourite bamboo plants.
When you know this bamboo plant personally, you'll understand why it is popular among many bamboo growers in the UK.
We created a list of some top UK bamboo sellers online. Check them out on our website.
Care is an important element of growing plants in the garden. Phyllostachys aurea bamboo plant (also known as the Fish-pole Golden Yellow Bamboo) will require care and maintenance as they grow.
We created a list of some top UK bamboo sellers online. Check them out on our website.
Care for Phyllostachys aurea
The running bamboos are resilient plants. They tend to thrive in the UK and are commonly used as privacy screens and for garden hedging.
However, these bamboos will require care and maintenance as they grow. Use the two tips below to help your plants grow unobstructed!
Firstly, add Slug and Snail pellets to protect them when your bamboos put out new growths.
Secondly, tall culms and new tender shoots will require staking.
Protect new bamboo shoots
We have seen slugs devouring the new plants in one visit.
So, apply the Snail and Slug pellets to stop the slugs from damaging the new growths.
Tie new shoots upright
The support you provide will encourage the tall plants to grow upright and protect the new tender culms from the wind.
If you grow the Phyllostachys aurea bamboos in pots, they will require some support. Staking them is one option.
Another option is to tie the culms into a tight grove, providing a neat and upright hedge or screen.
The ideal time to care for your bamboo is when the new growths are coming out early in Spring to Summer.
If you have problems dealing with bamboo in the garden or in containers, here is a detailed guide that will help you to deal with the common bamboo problems.
Buy Phyllosyachys Aurea
If you are wondering where to to buy Phyllosyachys Aurea, check out the list of UK retailers.
You can buy the plants online on at any of these sellers near you.
Root barriers, essential for maintaining Phyllosyachys aurea
The root barrier is essential for containing the rhizomes of invasive plants like the Phyllostachys aurea.
They are running bamboos, top above the invasive varieties.
In fact, they will require some sort of barrier, either as raised beds, pots and containers or a trench.
Create a root barrier before planting running bamboo, unless you are growing them in a contained space.
If your bamboo does not have a root barrier, here are some places where you can get one. The plastic root barriers are formidable – strong enough to stop rhizomes from spreading.
Know more about Phyllostachys aurea bamboo
The Fish-pole Golden Yellow Bamboo is one of my favourite bamboo plants.
When you know this bamboo plant personally, you'll understand why it is popular among many bamboo growers in the UK.
Phyllostachys nigra 'Megurochiku' bamboo has olive-green stems with a black stripe through the sulcus.
The new stems appear green, however, the stripes are predominant in the sun as the stems get older.
You'll have to look carefully to differentiate 'Megurochiku' from ‘Boryana’. 'Megurochiku' has brown stripes and ‘Boryana’ has black stripes and spots.
As mentioned earlier, there are over 10 cultivars or varieties of the black bamboo plant, Phyllostachys nigra.
Many growers in the UK love the Phyllostachys nigra Black Bamboo and therefore is becoming very popular among bamboo growers.
Check out the black bamboo plants for sale at Crocus.co.uk
Common black bamboo plants in the UK
There are 4 common black bamboo plants that grow in UK gardens. You can find most of them at the Kew's Japanese Bamboo Garden in London.
The common Back Bamboo Nigra can also be seen in many home gardens. It is easy to identify with its black stems.
Phyllostachys nigra f. henonisis a tall running bamboo with bright green stems that turn olive green.
Quite tricky to differentiate between Phyllostachys nigra f. henonis and Phyllostachys bisettii (Green bamboo). This is because they both have glossy green leaves, bright green stems and evergreen arching foliage.
However, looking closely at the matured stems, the Phyllostachys nigra f. henonis shows signs of olive-yellow canes whereas the Green Bamboo Phyllostachys bissettii canes are obviously dark green.
Check out the black bamboo plants for sale at Crocus.co.uk
GREEN STEM NIGRA
Common black bamboo plants in the UK
There are 4 common black bamboo plants that grow in UK gardens. You can find most of them at the Kew's Japanese Bamboo Garden in London.
The common Back Bamboo Nigra can also be seen in many home gardens. It is easy to identify with its black stems.
Phyllostachys nigra, also called Black Bamboo, are evergreen fast-growing ornamental plants.
The black bamboos have spectacular ebony black stems (culms).
However, do you know there are other cultivars of the Phyllostachys nigra?
In fact, there are over 10 Phyllostachys nigra bamboo plants with black stem colourations, spots and stripes.
Phyllostachys nigra 'Black Bamboo'
This black bamboo plant is awarded the RHS merit for its unique features, described as ‘one of the most elegant bamboos, with polished, damson-black mature canes and dark green leaves.’
Nigra Black Bamboo is a standout due to its ebony black stems (culms).
The black bamboo plants are resilient running bamboo varieties. They thrive in variable soil and weather conditions and are tolerant of pests and diseases.
These stunning bamboos have black culms, or black and brown spots and stripes along the sulcus.
Their culms are tall, slender and upright with gentle arching foliage.
They are fully hardy to – 20 degrees Celsius.
Black bamboos are formidable landscaping plants, also ideal for garden hedging and privacy screening.
Some cultivars of black bamboo plants also thrive in pots and containers, and other confined outdoor spaces.
What are the different black bamboo plants?
There are over 10 black bamboo plants (cultivars), however, you can find half of them in-store or online within the UK.
They are obviously called black bamboos because of the predominantly black culms.
Some bamboo cousins of the black bamboo nigra have green culms with black spots and stripes.
The 4 common black bamboo plants that grow in UK gardens are:
Recently, the other lesser-known black bamboo cultivars (such as the Phyllostachys nigra henonis, ‘Boryana' and ‘Megurochiku’) are growing in popularity among curious and enthusiastic bamboo growers.
Here are some black bamboo cultivars that you may want to find out more about.
These bamboos can be quite hard to find near you.
Phyllostachys nigra 'Fulva'
Phyllostachys nigra 'Hale'
Phyllostachys nigra 'Othello'
Phyllostachys nigra 'Han-chiku'
Phyllostachys nigra 'Tosaensis'
Check out the black bamboo plants for sale at Crocus.co.uk
Cost of Black Bamboo Plants UK
How to identify Phyllostachys nigra bamboo plants?
We covered the qualities and features of the cultivars of Phyllostachys nigra in detail in this article.
For comparisons, follow the links, see the images, and watch the video. Generally, all the Phyllostachys bamboo plants have black or black colourations on the stems. Most are slightly flattened on one side.
The branches appear in pairs at the node with slim elongated shiny leaves.
Phyllostachys nigra black bamboo plants have distinctive black culms, but the other Nigra Bamboos have green culms with dark spots or stripes that run along the internodes and sulcus.
The stem colourations are often prominent in sun. These running bamboos are invasive.
Why use bamboo Root Barrier
Using a bamboo root barrier is essential for containing the rhizomes of invasive plants like the Phyllostachys nigra.
These bamboos are running bamboos, top above the invasive varieties.
Create a root barrier before planting running bamboo, unless you are growing them in a contained space.
If your bamboo does not have a root barrier, here are some places where you can get one.
The plastic root barriers are formidable – strong enough to stop rhizomes from spreading.
For more on how to maintain black bamboo plants, check out this article. It has details on care and maintenance as we as videos of care and maintenance of bamboo groves.
