For general information about bamboos, read Don's bamboo article.
For more information on bamboo, visit the American Bamboo Society web page at http://www.americanbamboo.org/GeneralInfo.html#Introduction.
The ABS Source List is a very useful descriptive guide. See http://www.americanbamboo.org/SpeciesSourceList.html#Introduction
Lucky bamboo? Heavenly bamboo? Bamboo muhly? Bamboo palm? Giant reed?
Click here for a list of other plants called 'bamboo'!
Notes on availability:
We stock several varieties of bamboo at any given time, mostly Bambusas and other non-invasive types in #5 cans, some runners in #5 cans, and some of the smaller runners in 4" pots. Those listed as available can be special-ordered if they are not in stock. Prices vary; call for more information.
For more info on ordering bamboo, read this article
|
| GENUS |
SPECIES |
VARIETY |
COMMON NAME |
HEIGHT |
|
| |
Notes about growing this species. |
|
| Arthrostylidium |
sp. |
|
|
Med |
|
| Unknown; may be a Chusquea sp. |
| Arundinaria |
viridistriata |
|
aka Sasa pygmaea |
Low |
|
| Runner. Extremely invasive. Cute in pots. |
| Bambusa |
beecheyana |
|
Beechey's bamboo |
Very tall |
|
| Non-invasive Huge. Tender here--grows rapidly to 30' + each summer, then killed or partially killed each winter. |
| Bambusa |
multiplex |
'Alphonse Karr' |
Alphonse Karr hedge |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive One of the best bamboos for the average yard. 10 - 12' tall, with beautiful striped stems. Highly recommended. |
| Bambusa |
multiplex |
'Fernleaf' |
Fernleaf Hedge |
Med |
|
| Non-invasive. Very nice small bamboo for accent plant. The best for small yards. Sometimes reverts to straight B. multiplex. Highly recommended. |
| Bambusa |
multiplex |
'Golden Goddess' |
Golden Goddess hedge |
Med |
|
| Non-invasive. The standard hedge bamboo. We can't seem to get this one from our wholesalers without the coastal scale insect. This insect doesn't usually overwinter, but it does draw ants during the first season until the scale dies out. |
| Bambusa |
multiplex |
'Riviereorum' |
Chinese Goddess hedge |
Med |
|
| Non-invasive Smaller version of Golden Goddess. |
| Bambusa |
multiplex |
'Silverstripe' |
Silverstripe Hedge |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive Taller than, but similar to, Golden Goddess, except the leaves have white stripes. Good tall hedge.. |
| Bambusa |
oldhami |
|
Oldham's giant timber |
Very tall |
|
| Non-invasive.Very tall, fast-growing. Tight clumps. Damaged in 1990 and 1998, but recovered quickly. The best timber bamboo for this area. |
| Bambusa |
textilis |
|
Weaver's bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive. |
| Bambusa |
tuldoides |
|
Punting Pole bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive.. Very graceful, tall, slender. Availability very limited. |
| Bambusa |
ventricosa |
|
Buddha's belly |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive, but big! A truly beautiful bamboo when grown in the ground, with big, green, glossy leaves. When it is intentionally stunted it develops swollen nodes. One of the best in Northern California for a fast, dense screen that looks good in the winter. Highly recommended. |
| Bambusa |
vulgaris |
'Vittata' |
striped Common bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive. Beautiful striped stems. Forms an open clump, with the canes visible. Needs protection in the first winters in the Sacramento Valley, but hardy after 1 - 2 winters. Highly recommended, but rare in the trade. |
| Chimonobambusa |
marmorea |
'Variegata' |
Marbled bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Runner |
| ChimonoBambusa |
quadrangularis |
|
Squarestem bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Runner. Odd, because it initiates shoots in the fall or winter, which limits invasiveness even though these are runners. Culms are square on mature plants. |
| Chusquea |
aff. culeo |
|
|
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive. Open clumper. The taxonomy of this plant is not clear. The shoots are red, the culms are light and dark green. It branches, so it forms a dense, leafy plant. The clumps are open. |
| Chusquea |
breviglumis |
|
see C. aff. culeo |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive |
| Chusquea |
coronalis |
|
|
Tall |
|
|
Non-invasive; tender until established, so protect it when it is young. The ABS Source List describes it as “possibly the most beautiful bamboo in cultivation.” Soft green leaves and a nice weeping habit. Great container plant. Highly recommended. |
| Chusquea |
pittieri |
|
|
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive; tender until established. ABS: “the culms grow up, then arch over or hang down or climb on trees. The largest of the genus.” Makes a soft, weeping plant. Great in containers. |
| Dendrocalamus |
sp. |
|
|
Tall |
|
| Incredible, huge culms, but too tender to grow here (D. asper might succeed). |
| Drepanostachyum |
falcatum |
|
|
Tall |
|
| see Himalayacalamus hookerianus |
| Drepanostachyum |
hookerianum |
|
|
Tall |
|
| see Himalayacalamus falconeri f. Damarapa |
| Drepanostachyum |
sengteeanum |
|
|
Tall |
|
| sold as D. falconeri |
| Fargesia |
dracocephala |
|
Dragon's Head |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive. Small leaves. Very cold hardy. Seems to get leaf burn if in too much sun or dry wind. |
| Fargesia |
fungosa |
'Chocolate' |
|
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive |
| Fargesia |
|
'Maroon' |
|
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive |
| Fargesia |
murielae |
|
Umbrella Bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive. ABS: “Grows at above 10,000 feet in China, important Panda food.” Very cold hardy. |
| Fargesia |
nitida |
|
Fountain bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive. Looks delicate, grows slowly. Prefers some shade. Dark purplish culms. Very cold hardy. |
| Gaoligongshania |
megalothyrsa |
|
|
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive; not much known about this bamboo. |
| Hibanobambusa |
tranquillans |
|
green-leaved form |
Tall |
|
| Runner. |
| HibanoBambusa |
tranquillans |
'Shiroshima' |
|
Tall |
|
| Runner. ABS: “strikingly attractive leaves variegated in cream and green.” Great container plant. |
| Himalayocalamus |
falconeri |
'Damarapa' |
Candy-stripe bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive |
| Himalayocalamus |
hookerianus |
|
Himalayan Blue bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasiveBlue-green leaves, tight clumping habit. |
| Indocalamus |
tesselatus |
|
|
Low |
|
| Runner |
| Otatea |
acuminata |
aztecorum |
Mexican weeping bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Non-invasive. Prefers afternoon shade. Large, open clump. Very graceful....a real accent in the landscape, but give it room. |
| Phyllostachys |
aurea |
|
Golden bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Runner. The most widely planted bamboo in California, and what most people think of as “bamboo.” Great in containers. |
| Phyllostachys |
aurea |
'Koi' |
Golden bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Runner. |
| Phyllostachys |
aureosulcata |
|
Yellowgroove bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Runner |
| Phyllostachys |
aureosulcata |
var. alata |
|
Tall |
|
| Runner. Greengroove instead of yellow. |
| Phyllostachys |
bambusoides |
'Castillon' |
Japanese timber bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Runner. Regular P. bambusoides was widely planted in California. In the 1970's it all flowered and most died. |
| Phyllostachys |
bissettii |
|
|
Tall |
|
| Runner |
| Phyllostachys |
dulcis |
|
Sweetshoot bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Runner |
| Phyllostachys |
heterocycla |
pubescens |
Moso |
Tall |
|
| Runner. Very widely grown around the world for wood, shoots. Apparently not happy in hot, dry climates. |
| Phyllostachys |
mannii |
|
Beautiful bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Runner. Common name is Beautiful Bamboo. This bamboo's botanical name is unclear; sometimes sold as P. mannii 'Decora' Very tolerant of heat, drought, cold. |
| Phyllostachys |
nigra |
|
Black bamboo |
Tall |
|
| Runner. Very sensitive to salts in water; gets very unsightly leaf burn so it is not recommended. 'Bory' and 'Henon' are two selected forms available. |
| Phyllostachys |
praecox |
|
|
Tall |
|
| Runner. Very sensitive to salts in water; gets leaf burn |
| Phyllostachys |
violascens |
|
|
Tall |
|
| Runner. ABS: “Culms blackish-violet at first, sometimes striped wth violet. Sheaths deep purple.” |
| Phyllostachys |
viridis |
|
|
Tall |
|
| Runner |
| Phyllostachys |
viridis |
'Robert Young' |
|
Tall |
|
| Runner |
| Pleioblastus |
akebono |
|
|
Low |
|
| Runner. Usually sold as Arundinaria. |
| Pleioblastus |
argenteostriatus |
|
|
Low |
|
| Runner. Usually sold as Arundinaria |
| Pleioblastus |
chino |
'Murakamiensis' |
|
Low |
|
| Runner. Usually sold as Arundinaria |
| Pleioblastus |
distichus |
|
Dwarf fernleaf |
Low |
|
| Runner. Usually sold as Arundinaria. Not to be confused with B. multiplex 'Fernleaf'! |
| Pleioblastus |
fortunei |
|
Dwarf whitestripe |
Low |
|
| Runner. Also sold as P. variegatus. |
| Pleioblastus |
gramineus |
|
|
Low |
|
| Runner. Usually sold as Arundinaria. |
| Pleioblastus |
viridistriatus |
|
Dwarf greenstripe |
Low |
|
| Runner. |
| Pseudosasa |
japonica |
var. tsutsumiana |
Green Onion bamboo |
Low |
|
| Runner. Swollen culm internodes are the reason for the common name. |
| Sasa |
palmata |
var. nebulosa |
|
|
|
| Runner. Very invasive. |
| Sasaella |
masamuniana |
albostriata |
|
|
|
| Runner. Very invasive. Large, thick leaves are striped green and white. Very striking in containers. |
| Semiarundinaria |
fastuosa |
|
Narihira bamboo |
|
|
| Runner. |
| Shibatea |
kumasaca |
|
|
Med |
|
| Runner. Subject to leaf burn in alkaline soil |
| Sinobambusa |
tootsik |
'Variegata' |
|
Med |
|
| Runner |
| Thamnocalamus |
aristatus |
|
|
Med |
|
| Non-invasive alpine native. Native to the Himalayas, where it grows above 10,000 feet. |
| Thamnocalamus |
tessellatus |
|
|
Med |
|
| Non-invasive South African native. |
| Yushania |
anceps |
|
formerly Arundinaria anceps |
|
|
| Wide clumpers that spread, but not invasively. ABS: “One of the beautiful mountain bamboos from the Indian Himalayas. “ |
