Reproduction - Propagate Black Bamboo

Waiting for bamboo to flower can be a tortuous affair, involving a wait of 100 years or so.  Interestingly, certain species of bamboo flower simultaneously right around the world, for reasons as yet unknown. Furthermore, the plants often die after flowering. So seed collection is not a practical method of cultivation.

Division

Propagation of the bamboo black plant can be achieved by dividing an existing plant, if this is small or is growing in a pot.

This division is best done in the spring, before the appearance of the new shoots. This division process can be quite difficult - you will probably need to saw through the root mass if the plant is a decent size.

Existing shoots should be transferred as part of the division, when this is possible.

After dividing the plant, the roots should be kept wet until planted. Any existing stalks should be reduced in length by about 50 %, to reduce water loss as the bamboo becomes established.

The plants should be well watered in immediately after planting, and further watering should continue for a week or two after planting, especially if the weather is dry. An application of lawn fertiliser will also help the transplant to become established better.

Rhizome Cuttings

This approach to propagating black bamboo is less invasive than dividing the plant. Although each section will have a lower chance if success, you can prepare several at the same time.

Gently, using a garden fork, find a rhizome that is spreading through the soil from the plant. These are quite close to the soil surface so should be easy to locate.

Then gently try and remove the earth from around the rhizome, back to the point where it joins the main plant, cut the rhizome at that point, and lift (tug!) it from the ground.

The rhizome is clearly divided into 'nodes'. Cut the rhizome into sections, where each section contains several nodes, a reasonable amount of roots, and some buds, then plant each of these sections into separate pots, quite close to the soil surface, and water thoroughly.

You will need to keep the soil moist as the plant becomes established.

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