Among bamboo species there is a lot of diversity. Different bamboo have different growth habits and requirements. You should match your plant selection with your landscape conditions to ensure your plants thrive. (See our Catalog website page.) The main considerations are: 1) Running vs. Clumping, 2) Desired height, 3) Sun or light levels.
Running vs. Clumping
Running bamboo send out underground rhizomes to populate surrounding areas. Some spread slowly, typically only a few inches a year, while others can move quickly, sending up shoots three or more feet from the original mother plant. They can be very useful if a large hedge or screen is required quickly or erosion control on steep hillsides is needed.
Underground bamboo barrier can be installed to control spreaders and a reduction in fertilizer and water will slow them down once they reach desired size. Our dry summer climate makes running bamboo easier to control (just stop watering).
Avoid planting very fast spreaders such as Phyllostachys vivax next to your vegetable garden or property line unless a bamboo barrier is installed. The slower spreading bamboo (such as Phyllostachys aurea ‘Koi’, Phyllostachys aurea ‘Holochrysa’, or Phyllostachys nigra for example) are an excellent option if you want the size and vigor of a running bamboo with slower spread and lower maintenance. But even slow running bamboo can sometimes spread over a long distance quickly if the conditions are right and they’ve been planted for a long time.
Sun-loving running bamboo will tend to spread towards the south and west (towards warmth and light), sometimes east, and generally not north. Bamboo also like to spread uphill and not downhill.
Clumping bamboos send up new shoots very close to the original mother plant, usually no more than an inch or two away. They are useful in mixed plantings and close to vegetable gardens and property lines since they spread incrementally. Maintain at least a spade-width of working area around each plant. Most temperate clumping bamboo are smaller (under 15 feet) and prefer shade, though many are tolerant of sun.
Desired height:
Each variety of bamboo is genetically preprogrammed to grow to a specific height, although this can be affected by environmental influences (water, fertilizer, climate, soil, and light). This makes bamboo very useful for low maintenance hedges and screens, as top trimming and ladders will not be necessary. Therefore, select your bamboo carefully for the desired height.
Light levels
For a sunny location with southern or western exposure, select from the sun-loving groups. They tend to be taller bamboos, from 15 to 50 feet tall, and there are dozens of options. For a location that gets morning sun or filtered light, select a shade-loving bamboo. These tend to be smaller bamboo, two to 20 feet tall.
However, sun loving bamboo will generally manage in semi-shade as long as they get a few hours of direct sunlight, and shade lovers will also manage in the afternoon sun, though they may burn if it’s uncommonly sunny. Sun lovers will grow slower in the shade, and shade lovers will grow slower in the sun.
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