It intrigues, even fascinates, many people. The obvious connections to Asian art and landscaping are very important. It is perhaps the most widely used plant in the world for food, construction, etc.; although in our country it is primarily used as an ornamental landscape plant.

On the other hand, inappropriate planting of certain running species have led to bamboo's reputation as being ruinous to landscapes and impossible to eradicate.

Members of the following genera are successful here; others may be:

Bambusa,

Chusquea,

Fargesia,

Hibanobambusa,

Otatea

Phyllostachys,

Pleioblastus, and

Yushania

Availability of bamboo

We have a very limited number of bamboo plants in stock at the nursery at any time.

Two of our wholesalers carry bamboo on a regular basis. Their availability is also limited, and changes rapidly. We order from each of them about once a month, and can check with them when we order about what is available. Unfortunately, even if they indicate something is available now, it may not be when we order. They don’t usually list bamboo on their availability lists, so we ask the sales representatives during the week.

We are happy to take bamboo special orders on a long-term basis. We can ask our growers if they are propagating the variety you are interested in and when they expect that it might be available. We can’t promise that a particular bamboo will be available in any particular time frame, but we’d be happy to contact you when it does become available.

• Why is availability so limited?

Bamboo is considered a specialty plant by regular wholesale growers, who usually don’t know much about it. It is mostly grown by specialists or hobbyists. Demand always greatly exceeds supply.

• How do I make a bamboo hedge?

Three ways:

You spend a lot of money to buy several plants of a clumping type (if you can get them), and put them close together.

Or you buy a few plants and put them in the ground, then dig them up every year and divide them into 2 — 4 new plants each, replanting these about 3 — 4’ apart.

Or you plant running bamboo, and figure out a way to keep it from invading the rest of the yard or the neighbor’s yard.

Other plants will provide screening more quickly and at lower cost than bamboo. Combining bamboo with other fast-growing shrubs or trees, perhaps with the intent of dividing the bamboo and removing some of the other plants later, may be a better strategy.

• Why is bamboo so expensive?

#5 cans range from $49.99 to $64.99, #15 cans from $100 - $150.00 and up. Bamboo is slow to propagate, as it is almost entirely grown by dividing parent plants. It takes a year or two to get a saleable plant that way, and you get far fewer plants than you do of plants propagated by seed or cuttings.

• Is it really possible to restrain running bamboo?

Yes, but you must monitor the grove each season to make sure it doesn’t escape. No barrier system will contain bamboo by itself.

Barriers (usually made of 40 — 60 ml plastic) can be installed about 18" deep. Rhizomes have been measured plunging 4’ deep to go under barriers. Angled outward, barriers will direct the rhizomes upward, so they can be easily snapped off. Runners primarily send out their rhizomes in spring, so check the perimeter of the grove in early summer. An open trench filled with rock can be an easy border to monitor. Bamboo will not grow very far into water, so a pond or water feature can contain it. Runners won’t continue to grow into dry soil in the summer here, so drought can limit its spread.

• Can bamboo be grown indoors?

Not very easily. It wants very bright light, cannot tolerate drought, and is very prone to spider mites. There is usually a real shock as it goes from the nursery into your home due to the much lower light conditions. It would be best to make that transition gradually. Move it outside every week or so in the summer to wash off the foliage to manage the mites.

Want to call around? Here are some of our friends who also sell bamboo.....

Bamboo is so popular that plants which superficially resemble it often have 'bamboo' in the common name

What is...

"Lucky Bamboo?" Dracaena sanderana, a house plant in the Agave family. Give it bright light, average soil. Although it can be kept pretty dry when grown in normal potting soil, this plant's amazing endurance when it is grown simply as rooted cuttings in water and pebbles has made it very popular. Wash the foliage every couple of weeks to manage spider mites.  Dracaena sanderana

"Heavenly bamboo?" Nandina domestica, a very useful evegreen landscape shrub in the Barberry family. Tolerates sun or shade. Foliage hardy to 10°F, plant resprouts from 5°F. Winter brings bright red leaf color, orange berries. Many cultivars, ranging from 6" to 10'.  Nandina domestica

Giant Reed? Arundo donax, an invasive plant that was introduced into California from the Mediterranean. Often mistaken for a bamboo. In the grass family, but unlike bamboo it reseeds prolifically and is displacing native vegetation in many parts of the state. Also cultivated to make reeds for oboes. Variegated form is sometimes sold as an accent plant for water gardens.  Arundo donax

Bamboo Muhly?

Muhlenbergia dumosa, native to Arizona and northern Mexico. Beautiful ornamental evergreen clump-forming grass to 3 – 6' with a soft, mounding habit reminiscent of Bambusa multiplex, and foliage somewhat like an Otatea. Probably hardy to 20°F.

Bamboo Palm?

Chamaedorea seifrizii, also called Reed Palm.

Mexican native, one of the most common indoor palms. Very tolerant of low light, but also fine in bright indoor light. Palms need even moisture and a fast-draining soil. Best soil mix is regular potting soil with additional pumice or perlite, or just use a cactus soil mix. Hardy outdoors only in frost-free areas. Wash off every week or so to manage spider mites.












© 2009 Don Shor, Redwood Barn Nursery, Inc., 1607 Fifth Street, Davis, Ca 95616
www.redwoodbarn.com