- Common name: bamboo
- Botanical names for bamboo plants include: Fargesia and Phyllostachys.
- Family: grasses (Poaceae)
- Type: evergreen perennial
- Main attributes: evergreen foliage and sound
- Planting time: spring or autumn
- Height: 30cm-14m (1-50ft)
- Width: 60cm-10m (2-32ft)
- Aspect: varies
- Hardiness: H4 to H5
- Difficulty: easy to average
Capable of being as problematic as Japanese knotweed, spreading bamboo is best avoided. But, thankfully, there is a wide range of clumping (non-spreading) forms that won’t cause you – or your neighbours – a headache, and inject the garden with all the charm of bamboo: its lush, leafy exotic look and architectural presence and the rustling sound it makes when the wind blows.
Is it legal to grow bamboo in the UK?
Yes, but since invasive types of bamboo now cause as much structural and legal hoo-hah as Japanese knotweed, a change in law is inevitable at some point. Should a spreading bamboo create damage in your garden or your house, you may be able to claim via your house insurance, but if significant nuisance is created to your neighbour’s property, you might have to cover the costs.
What is the downside to spreading bamboo?
The largest grasses on the planet, in China and Japan bamboos form mesmerising forests of towering canes. These are so robust that they provide a building material that is stronger than steel and, since bamboo plants grow faster than any other plant, more sustainable than timber. Such oomph considered, selecting one for the garden ought to be well thought through. The right choice will provide a fuss-free mass of foliage that swishes and sways delightfully on the breeze all year; the wrong choice could produce long underground rhizomes that appear some metres from the parent plant, sending up new culms (canes) in borders or lawns; in some cases, they are capable of penetrating driveways, patios, walls, and even the foundations of a house. These vigorous forms can be tricky to remove once established because – like dandelions – they can regenerate from a piece of rhizome left in the soil.
The problem is usually a delayed one, since many bamboos can take years (sometimes a decade or more) to mature and reach their capacity for spreading with strength and speed. Therefore, invasive bamboo is often inherited from a previous home owner, and – as people become more and more wary of spreading bamboo species – it can affect property sales. So, it’s vital to only plant non-invasive ‘clumping’ bamboo, of which there are many to choose from.
Which bamboo is non-invasive in the UK?
Always buy a clumper, never a runner. Of the hardy types, the good old Fargesia species are mostly clumping (non-spreading) and the most widely available; however, there are other forms that behave themselves, including Borinda, Chusquea, and Thamnocalamus.
Can you stop bamboo from spreading?
Of the spreading forms, the most widely available is Phyllostachys, and each species and variety of Phyllostachys differs in its spreading nature. The site and climate they are planted in will affect how these running (invasive) types behave: in cold regions, they often remain compact; however, the hotter summers that climate change is bringing us mean that they have more oomph and can be a nightmare in milder areas. The standard advice is to contain them with a barrier, but since a barrier will hinder a plant, protrude above the soil, and may need replacing over time, it's arguably better to buy a non-invasive form that's the right size and temperament for your garden. If you do want to buy a spreading form because some of them are beautiful, check with your supplier that you are buying a type that is readily controlled with a barrier, such as Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis or P. aureosulcata f. aureocaulis. These less enthusiastic running forms can be contained by inserting a bamboo barrier. But be warned that barmier bamboos (such as Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda) will hop over a barrier and surge into the rest of your garden.
What is the safest bamboo to grow?
Dragon head bamboo (Fargesia rufa, which reaches 2.5 metres) is a beautiful, leafy emerald bamboo with an arching habit. In its native China, it is one of the favourite foods of the giant panda, and in the UK, it is perhaps the best non-invasive bamboo for most small gardens. As well as being clumping (non-spreading), it tolerates a variety of conditions, including drought, wind, and even dry shade; it responds well to clipping, if you want a short bamboo hedge; and it is excellent in a container.
An even smaller gem is Shibataea kumasaca, which grows to 1-metre tall. In its native Japan, it is widely used for clipping into low hedges. Grow it in neutral to acid soil or ericaceous compost in a pot.
Fargesia robusta (5 metres) is one of the best non-invasive hardy bamboos and fares exceptionally well in periods of drought. It provides great privacy, maturing into a vertical dense mass of green canes (that are sheathed with white early in the season) and a cloud of light-green leaves. Its cousin Fargesia nitida is also resilient in dry weather.
Charming and non-invasive, Thamnocalamus crassinodus 'Kew Beauty' (4m) has blue culms that gradually take on cinnamon tints. It dislikes drought and excess heat, so plant in light shade. Fargesia angustissima and Fargesia nitida also relish light shade or dappled shade.
The non-spreading Fargesia bamboos fare well in cold areas, especially F. rufa, F. nitida, and F. robusta.
Both Fargesia rufa and F. robusta are non-spreading and clip well into hedging; pick the latter for a taller hedge. Another gem for very cold gardens is F. frigida, which has rounded, dense growth that screens well. Borinda perlonga is gargantuan, but non-spreading once it’s reached its maximum girth and makes a great screen.
Semiarundinaria yashadake f. kimmei produces a mass of slender, bare golden canes beneath high-sprouting leaves. It is vigorous (to 4 metres), but clumping. The Chinese fountain bamboo, Fargesia nitida (3m) boasts grey and purple-black culms and tolerates drought, heat, cold, and shade. While good red forms include Fargesia scabrida (syn. ‘Asian Wonder’) and Fargesia Red Panda.
If you have a large garden and want height and width, it is still sensible to opt for a clumping form, albeit selecting one of the bigger ones. The foxtail bamboo (Chusquea culeou) has distinctive bushy spires of olive-green foliage that grow upright to 4 metres or more, depending on which form you buy; Chusquea gigantea is also superb, although rarely available. The blue dragon bamboos (Borinda macclureana and Borinda papyrifera) send up silver-blue canes that can soar to 7 to 10 metres and spread to 4 metres wide, but will not invade the rest of the garden. Be warned that because some of these bamboos are very slow to propagate, they can be expensive.
How to plant bamboo
Most bamboos can be planted in sheltered sun or semi-shade in humus-rich, well-drained soil, but some have specific requirements, so check with your supplier. Borinda papyrifera and Fargesia nitida, for example, prefer light shade, while Phyllostachys nigra and Semiarundinaria fastuosa like full sun. Do not overly dig the soil before planting; rather gently fork the hole and add some peat-free compost.
Can you grow bamboo in a pot?
Yes, many bamboos thrive in containers, and it can be the best way to enjoy the spreading (invasive) forms. Use a mix of loam-based (John Innes No 3) and multi-purpose compost. If planting in autumn, provide the plant with some winter protection (such as fleece); if planting in spring, water regularly in summer drought and heat.
If choosing a running type, be careful what you pick. Indocalamus tessellatus, which has glossy tropical-looking leaves, does well in a pot. But the stronger forms – such as Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda or Bashania fargesii – can cause pots to crack or even explode; and rampant Sasa palmata f. nebulosa will grow through drainage holes if there is soil underneath; it's best not to court such beasts.
Bamboos also vary in their response to containers. For instance, the widely-available fish-pole bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) and black bamboo (P. nigra) don’t like being container grown and soon look drab. Whereas the rampant Phyllostachys bissetii, which has beautiful green canes, does well in a pot, and the showy yellow-groove bamboo, Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis, can also be safely confined in a container; the latter colours best in a cold climate, producing custard-coloured culms that blush coral-red when young and become striped with green, like sticks of rock. Keep checking your pots for ambitious rhizomes emerging through cracks or drainage holes, and every few years, divide the plant and re-pot.
How to grow bamboo
BUY from a specialist nursery, such as Whitelea, Bowdens, or Scottish Bamboo, to ensure quality and to ask which non-invasive bamboos would suit your site. For an easy life, purchase a form that is the right height and spread for your requirements because most bamboos do not look good trimmed from the top and containing their outward growth can be a headache. Younger, smaller plants establish better and quicker than larger, older, more expensive bamboos.
WATER when necessary – young, potted, and barrier-bound bamboos will require the most moisture.
FEED bamboos in pots during the growing season with liquid fertiliser. There is no need to feed bamboos in the ground, unless they are contained by a barrier.
LEAVE FALLEN LEAVES on the ground to nourish the plant. You could also mulch with peat-free compost in autumn or early spring.
THIN out old canes, when necessary, early in the season, and use them as garden supports. Bamboos are perennials and will produce new culms (canes) each year. Older canes can be removed to reduce congestion and improve the look of the plant.
