Growing Black Bamboo plants

Originating from China (especially in the Yangtze Valley), the Black Bamboo plant is now popular in the UK and parts of Europe, and in a large part of the USA, where it can survive reasonably harsh conditions.

Because it is evergreen it can provide some well needed winter interest. It is tolerant of winter temperatures as low as -15° centigrade (0° fahrenheit). Occasionally Black Bamboo is reported as being tolerant of conditions even colder than this, but happily I haven't had the chance to test it out.

In milder climates it prefers full sun, but otherwise partial shade is preferable, but you should avoid planting it in full shade.

Generally though, the Black Bamboo plant  is quite tolerant of conditions, will usually grow well in full sun, and is easy to grow, especially in rich moist soil.

 

Growing style

Black bamboo plants, like other bamboos, do not grow constantly during the year. In spring, new canes (culms) emerge, and during a period of a few weeks these grow with astonishing speed. Then growing stops, and the leaves are formed. The rest of the year is then spent in storing energy in the rhizomes in readiness for the following year.

Until the plant reaches maturity, each years canes will be taller, and grow faster, than those of the previous year. Black bamboo will grow to about six metres in height, so may not suit all gardens.

Black bamboo grows in a running or spreading style. Rhizomes spread out from the plant, just under the soil surface, and new shoots appear from these rhizomes. Thus it can be invasive if not controlled, especially where the soil is moist. (This is by contrast with 'clumping' style bamboos, where the rhizomes don't travel very far before giving rise to new shoots, hence making the bamboo non-invasive).

Because of this spreading characteristic, it will need containing in certain gardens, but black bamboo is not the most invasive of the bamboos, so this will be a manageable task. Nonetheless, if planting near a boundary it is recommended to leave a 50 cm space between the plant and the boundary, so that growth can be controlled. It is alos recommended to insert a barrier - special plastic barriers are available, or concrete can be sued - if planting Black Bamboo on a boundary, to prevent the neighbours property being invaded!

One option, if space is limited, is to grow the plant in a large container, which works very successfully and of course avoids the problems of spreading.

Black bamboo grows less densely than many bamboo plants, so it is ideal for creating a semi-transparent screen.

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A Great Wall of China production, the black bamboo site is pleased to be supported by the directory at visit france.