Bamboo
Bamboo has been used in Chinese gardens since 2000 BC. The Japanese, who started trading with
In 1827, black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) from
Bamboo is native to
A member of the grass family, bamboo is a monocotelydon, which means that one seed leaf emerges from the seed. Its thousands of species are divided into two main tribes: woody bamboos and herbaceous bamboos.
However, Sunset's Western Garden Book classifies these plants into four groups based on growth habit. The book's categories include dwarf or low-growing types; clumping bamboos with fountain-like growth habits; running bamboos with more or less vertical growth; and giants for grand- scale planting.
Bamboo has underground stems called rhizomes that have buds and roots. It also has woody canes called culms that support branches and leaves. The diameter of a young bamboo shoot emerging from the ground will remain the same throughout its life. An individual culm will never thicken in girth. The height a culm reaches in its first year will be its final height.
As bamboo gets older, it develops a stronger and thicker rhizome system. Culms that emerge from this system can be thicker and taller than the previous ones. Branches and leaves form at solid nodes (joints) on the culms and these do increase in number each year. Woody bamboos are evergreen, only shedding old leaves as young leaves are produced.
Most rhizomes typically grow 1 foot deep and rarely more than 1-1/2 feet deep. Bamboos have two types of rhizome structures, running and clumping. Clumping types grow a short distance then send up stems, forming clumps that slowly expand at the edges. Clumping types are mostly from tropical and subtropical regions.
Running types have rhizomes that rapidly grow out from the parent plant before sending up vertical shoots. These bamboos eventually form large patches or groves. Running types are hardy plants generally from temperate regions of
To control running types, people often use rhizome barriers, but these can affect the long-term quality of the bamboo. The movement of water and nutrients will be impeded, and fresh healthy growth will be reduced over time. In any case, rhizomes can quickly grow up and over barriers.
If you need to control running bamboo, it is best to control it physically by removing some rhizome and culms from different sides of the plant each year using a sharp spade.
Be sure to select a type of bamboo your property can accommodate.
Plant bamboo in sun or partial shade. It needs little water and is drought tolerant once established. It does need water during its rapid growth period. Bamboo tolerates most soil types and needs light to medium fertilizing.
Bamboo can also be planted in wide, shallow containers. Containers need more water and liquid fertilizer. Bamboo is propagated easily by division just before growth begins in spring, typically between March and June depending on the type.
Bamboo has few pests that cause significant problems, but some can get bamboo mites, scale, mealy bugs and aphids. Bamboo is used for hedges, screens, wind breaks and erosion control. It is also used for wood products, furniture, flooring, paper, building materials and clothing.