Bamboos: Planting, Pruning, and Care

Botany

Bamboos are woody grasses from the Poaceae family, originating from temperate and subtropical forests in Asia (from China and Japan where they are highly appreciated by pandas), Africa, and Central and South America where they can be found up to 3000 metres in altitude. Bamboos have widely acclimatised to our European gardens. The term ‘bamboo’ encompasses a large number of genera, species, and varieties.

There are 80 genera and over 1000 species of bamboo. Their height varies depending on the species. Bamboos are classified into three size categories, from dwarf bamboo like the Pleioblastus viridistriatus to giants like Phyllostachys vivax: dwarfs measure from 20 cm to 1.50 m in height, small and medium varieties from 1.50 m to 10 m, and giants from 10 m and more.

They are also categorised by their growth type: running species like Phyllostachys, which multiply rapidly via their rhizomes to the point of becoming invasive quickly, and whose spread can be contained by a rhizome barrier, and non-running or “clumping” bamboos like Fargesia which grow in compact clumps and, unlike other bamboos, are non-invasive. The root system of bamboos is very dense but shallow.

Non-running bamboos (Fargesia) with clumping rhizomes develop slowly around and at the centre of the clump, they thicken slowly, become bushier but do not spread. There are also lesser-known, less invasive species like semiarundinaria fastuosa with an extraordinarily vertical, columnar habit.

Running bamboos quickly form an intricate underground network of rhizomes that grow in lines, giving rise to new culms. These rhizomes can grow several metres in a year. This earns bamboo its reputation as a born coloniser. Highly invasive bamboos are capable of covering an area of 20 square metres in just 10 years. Under optimal growing conditions, some bamboos can grow several centimetres per day, up to 1 m!

Ground-covering and medium-sized varieties grow relatively quickly and reach their mature size in a few years. Giant varieties reaching over 10 m in height will only achieve full development in 7 to 10 years.

Bamboos display a dense, upright, bushy habit, more or less erect with sometimes drooping tips. Clumping bamboos form a compact, tight clump that flares upwards. Shoots or young growths develop on the rhizomes, giving rise to slender yet robust canes called culms. Some species have edible young shoots once boiled.

These culms or canes, slender or as wide as posts, range from less than a few centimetres to over 25 m tall depending on the species. With variable diameters (from a few millimetres to nearly 20 cm in diameter), each culm consists of stacked hollow tubes partitioned at intervals by nodes. These internodes, more or less swollen depending on the species, give the cane its flexibility. The inner tissue is much less hard than the stem. While the canes are perfectly straight in most species, some bamboos produce twisted culms at the base, like Phyllostachys zig-zag.

The smooth or grooved culms divide into slender branches bearing leaves. Young culms are sometimes covered with a white bloom that quickly disappears. They exhibit varied appearances.

The great diversity of bamboos is also expressed through their highly graphic canes. Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda / Phyllostachys aureosulcata spectabilis / Phyllostachys vivax aureocaulis / Phyllostachys nigra / Fargesia robusta Wolong

Their colours range from intense medium green, to lime green, olive green, pink-yellow, bright yellow, or almost golden, to black, mahogany, or even steely blue. Often, the culms gradually change hue over time and with sunlight, shifting from green to sulphur yellow, grey, pink, or red. Thus, canes of different ages, displaying varied shades, coexist in beautiful harmony.

Some culms take on a striped or bicoloured appearance and are adorned along their entire length with subtle streaks, sometimes with a contrasting coloured ring observed under each node.

They are sometimes embellished with persistent culm sheaths that remain attached to the canes for a few months before falling, offering lovely contrasting effects between the sheath colour, the culms, and the foliage.

These canes are resistant to strong winds, possess a certain flexibility, and rarely break except in Phyllostachys vivax, whose thin walls are fragile . This beautiful flexibility makes bamboos useful, once dried, as stakes, structural bases for light constructions, furniture making, flooring, musical instruments…

The main appeal of bamboos lies in their ample foliage with an unusual graphic quality, rustling at the slightest breeze.

This evergreen foliage is distributed along almost the entire height of the culms. It is often densely branched towards the top. The branches, themselves divided into smaller branches, emerge from the nodes. Bamboos always retain a bushy yet light silhouette. The leaves, measuring from 2 to 25 cm long, more or less narrow and lanceolate, tapering at the tip, are grouped in dense clusters along secondary stems. Their colour varies by species and variety, from dark green, striped, or edged with beige or yellow at the first frosts. They sometimes take on an orange hue with age. The leaves dry, fall, but are quickly renewed.

Bamboo flowering is of little interest. It is rare, irregular, and unpredictable. It is a bad sign and often heralds the death of the plant: the culms dry out and die after flowering.

Hardy, perfectly cold-resistant (down to -25°C depending on the species), and truly undemanding regarding exposure, they prefer partial shade but tolerate sun well as long as they don’t lack moisture.

While bamboos thrive in any good garden soil, the quality and moisture level of the soil nevertheless condition their healthy development. They all appreciate summer moisture, warmth, and fertile soils and grow quickly if these conditions are met. They will rapidly colonise any moist soil, whether acidic or neutral, as long as it is rich, light, fresh, without excess lime. They will establish more slowly in poor soil.

Though they are the undisputed stars of Asian-inspired gardens, bamboos adapt to many styles, from the most contemporary to the most exotic, from the most zen to the most wild.

Perfect as standalone clumps, bamboos also form majestic windbreaks or privacy screens, small hedges, or ground covers. Planted en masse, they quickly create forests of elegant exoticism.

Running bamboos, imposing in stature, lend the garden a highly architectural dimension. Non-running species (clumping bamboos) are easily planted in small gardens or in large pots on balconies or terraces.

Bamboo is indestructible, having survived the Hiroshima bomb.

Species and main varieties

There isn’t just one bamboo, but many. Bamboos offer an immense diversity of genera, species, and varieties. Between the architectural running bamboos, like the Phyllostachys, renowned for their rapid growth, and the non-running bamboos, known as “clumping” with their non-invasive nature, making a choice isn’t easy!

In the family of running bamboos, alongside the Phyllostachys, the most well-known of the genus, we find the Semiarundinaria, Pleioblastus, Sasa, Chimonobambusa, and Shibatea.

Phyllostachys nigra or Black Bamboo: a highly prized variety in gardens

Among the clumping (non-running) bamboos, the famous Fargesia is well-known, but there are also the Yushania, Chusquea, Thamnocalamus, and Indocalamus—lesser-known but just as interesting.

Fargesia is the ideal bamboo for container growing and small gardens

Running bamboos have only one drawback: in favourable soil, they spread at lightning speed and require the installation of a rhizome barrier.

Check out our guide to learn how to install a rhizome barrier.

Requiring little to no maintenance, most bamboos are highly hardy and boast strikingly colourful, graphic canes (like the stunning dark culms of Phyllostachys nigra or Black Bamboo, or the bright yellow of Phyllostachys aureosulcata ‘Aureocaulis’) and beautiful evergreen foliage, sometimes variegated with gold or beige.

We offer a wide selection of bamboos in all sizes, suitable for every garden—even container growing. Discover our most beautiful varieties, from the classics to the most unusual!

Most Popular

Our Favourites

Other Interesting Varieties

Golden Bamboo - Phyllostachys aurea

A moderately running species, very widespread and ideal for hedging.

• Height at maturity 6 m

See the product sheet

Pseudosasa japonica - Metake Bamboo

The one that most evokes Asia!

• Height at maturity 4 m

See the product sheet

Black bamboo - Phyllostachys nigra

The only one of its kind with ebony-black culms

• Height at maturity 6 m

See the product sheet

Fargesia robusta - Non-running Bamboo

The most imposing non-running species, perfect for large gardens

• Height at maturity 4 m

See the product sheet

Semiarundinaria fastuosa - Medium-sized Bamboo

Slightly running, extremely hardy, remarkable for its compact columnar habit and tolerates dry soils well

• Height at maturity 7 m

See the product sheet

Fargesia robusta Pingwu - Non-running bamboo

Very graphic and non-invasive

• Height at maturity 4,50 m

See the product sheet

Fargesia robusta Wolong

We love its exotic stature, compact size, and culms that turn chartreuse green with age

• Height at maturity 5 m

See the product sheet

Sasa veitchii

A dwarf, somewhat running bamboo with truly splendid foliage

• Height at maturity 1,20 m

See the product sheet

Fargesia papyrifera Blue Dragon - Non-running bamboo

Culms with a spectacular and very rare steel-blue colour

• Height at maturity 6 m

See the product sheet

Phyllostachys iridescens - Bamboo

One of the most unique!

• Height at maturity 10 m

See the product sheet

Fargesia scabrida Asian Wonder - Non-running Bamboo

A still lesser-known bamboo!

• Height at maturity 3,50 m

See the product sheet

Pleioblastus viridistriatus Vagans - Dwarf Bamboo

One of the smallest! It features green foliage that irregularly variegates.

• Height at maturity 70 cm

See the product sheet

Planting

Where to plant bamboo?

Perfectly hardy, bamboos withstand cold well, some down to -20°C or even lower. They thrive throughout France. Shelter them from cold, dry winds to which they are quite sensitive.

They appreciate partial shade but tolerate sun well. Bamboos prefer neutral or acidic soil without excess lime, rather rich, moist and well-drained. They like slightly damp soil in summer, but hate having their feet in water during winter: waterlogged soil would lead to fatal rotting.

Before planting, keep in mind that running bamboos can quickly become invasive. Think carefully about their placement and the space you wish to give them. You can limit the spread of their running rhizomes by defining their space at planting with a polypropylene rhizome barrier planted vertically in the ground around the plant. For more information, see our detailed step-by-step guide:

Running bamboos, such as Phyllostachys, are imposing, reaching heights of nearly 10 metres. Give them space to grow!

Fortunately, for small spaces or large pots, there are clumping (non-running) bamboos that are just as ornamental and do not require containment by a rhizome barrier. Dwarf bamboos generally do not exceed 1.5m and also grow perfectly well in pots. In the garden, they work wonderfully as low hedges or ground cover.

Shibataea kumasaca is a dwarf bamboo, perfect for edging a path

Depending on their mature height, they can form dense, decorative hedges, privacy screens or windbreaks, or evergreen backdrops for borders, whether in the ground or in large containers on balconies or terraces. They can also be grown as standalone clumps.

When to plant bamboo?

The best time to plant bamboo is ideally in late summer and autumn, from late August to October. You can also plant between March and April in regions north of the Loire or between September and November in southern regions. In all cases, plant bamboo in spring after the last frosts or in autumn after the hottest weather.

How to plant

Planting in the ground or in pots is a crucial step, as it determines the establishment and healthy growth of your bamboos, which must never lack water. Bamboos will grow more or less quickly depending on growing conditions.

• In the ground

In a wide, deep hole, install a rhizome barrier to control the spread of running varieties. It should protrude 5cm above ground. Place the rootball in the centre of the hole. Backfill with garden soil mixed with good planting compost and manure. Bamboos need plenty of water to establish – water generously at planting and very regularly in the first year, especially in summer when the soil is very dry. Later, their fallen dry leaves will form a natural mulch at the base, but in the first few years, don’t hesitate to add a mulch of wood chips or pine bark.

• In pots:

Bamboos tolerate container growing well, provided watering is carefully monitored. Choose your species wisely (some overly vigorous types could quickly burst the pot) and opt for non-running or compact bamboos. Plant them in a sufficiently large pot, at least 50cm deep, in a rich, well-draining mix (planting compost or rose soil mixed with garden loam). Give them a spot in non-scorching sun and sheltered from draughts. Potted bamboos must never dry out – monitor watering closely, which should be very regular, especially during prolonged dry spells.

Phyllostachys aurea in a pot

Care, Pruning and Maintenance

Once well established, bamboos require almost no maintenance but they are thirsty plants. In summer and during dry spells, water generously at the base and mist the foliage in the evening. To establish roots and grow well, young plants need regular watering during the first two years after planting.

Potted specimens also require more frequent watering; make sure the soil doesn’t dry out too much between waterings, as they can drink up to 5 litres per day during hot weather. In the first few years, mulching will help keep the soil moist in summer. However, over time, you’ll notice that bamboos mulch themselves naturally with their dry leaves, which decompose very slowly.

→ Learn more in our guide How to properly water a potted bamboo?

Leave bamboo leaves at their base: they “self-mulch” naturally!

Bamboos thrive in fertile soil: in early spring, you can add rich compost or a nitrogen-rich bamboo fertiliser, twice a year for bamboos grown in containers. If the leaves tend to yellow, this may indicate excess lime in the soil: add ericaceous compost on the surface.

Pruning bamboos is not necessary. However, they tolerate being trimmed with shears in late summer around August-September, either to shape them as desired, control their growth, or remove dry canes (once fully dried, they can be used as plant supports). Every year, cut dry, weak or obstructive culms back to the base. This maintenance pruning will encourage the plant to produce entirely new, denser foliage. However, note that once cut, the canes will not regrow.

In winter, don’t hesitate to clear snow from the culms: even though the canes are remarkably flexible, they may break under the weight.

Diseases and potential pests

Bamboos are not fragile and are resistant to most diseases and pests. However, they can become more vulnerable when weakened by excess water and lack of nutrients.

When the weather is hot and humid, potted bamboos are sometimes prone to attacks by mealybugs, which feed on the sap and leave white, powdery or cottony clusters on the plant. The leaves eventually turn yellow and fall off, potentially leading to the plant’s demise in the worst cases. Spraying a mixture of vegetable oil (rapeseed or olive oil), 90° alcohol and black soap can suffocate them. In case of severe infestation, cut off and burn the affected parts. Red spider mites can also cause yellowing and drying of the leaves, which eventually drop. Treat with an acaricide.

→ Learn more in our guide Bamboo diseases and pests

Propagation

Bamboos spread rapidly, making it easy to take advantage of this natural tendency to acquire new plants at a lower cost. Propagation is done in spring, during March-April by dividing clumps, and should be performed on clumps that are at least three years old. Carry out the process when the soil is sufficiently moist to make extracting the divisions easier. Propagation by rhizome cuttings is also possible with some running species, but the success rate is too unpredictable to be recommended.

Dividing clumps:

• Using a sharp spade, take a good-sized clump from the outer edge of the main root ball, ensuring it has at least 2 culms (ideally 3 to 5).

• Shorten existing culms by one-third of their length, always keeping some foliage (divisions without leaves won’t regrow).
• Plant the clump in a hole enriched with nutrient-rich compost.
• Backfill, firm the soil, and mulch.
• Stake the plant at three points to secure it firmly (tall bamboos have significant wind resistance).
• Water thoroughly, then keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
• Regularly mist the foliage in dry or windy weather, either in the evening or morning, to prevent leaf desiccation and ensure successful establishment.

Once divided, large bamboos regrow from a juvenile stage. New culms that emerge will be smaller in height and girth. It will take several more years before they reach the size of the parent plant.

Pairing

With their elegant foliage, sometimes variegated with green, cream or yellow, and their graphic silhouette, bamboos, though often self-sufficient, lend themselves to multiple uses. They always bring luminosity, movement and verticality to a setting.

They help maintain a beautiful garden even in winter, as frost enhances their elegant silhouette and evergreen foliage.

Undisputed stars of Asian-inspired gardens, bamboos blend seamlessly into all garden styles, whether contemporary, Zen, exotic, wild or natural. Some, like Phyllostachys atrovaginata ‘Green Perfume’, particularly suited to damp areas, even add verticality to water gardens, alongside astilbes, sedges, rushes, goat’s beard or giant gunneras.

Used as standalone clumps to structure a shrub border, bamboos also serve as noise barriers, windbreaks or privacy screens to conceal an unwanted view, forming evergreen hedges—either free-growing or trimmed—or ground cover beneath ornamental trees. They provide refreshing shade for hydrangeas, while their airy silhouettes create a lovely contrast with the denser forms of camellias.

In a shrub-heavy border, they complement sacred bamboo, spindle trees or loropetalum. Their canes act as natural supports for clematis.

Planted en masse, their rapid growth quickly forms lush, exotic-looking forests with a distinctly tropical feel.

Easy to combine with each other or with other Asian plants, such as Japanese forest grass, Japanese maples or mountain laurels, they also thrive alongside hostas, Chinese windmill palms, flowering dogwoods or tree ferns. Tall ornamental grasses like fountain grass, pampas grass or miscanthus will clothe the base of their canes, while towering cannas or giant dahlias such as Dahlia imperialis rise to flower among their foliage.

1) Fargesia robusta Campbell – 2) Hakonechloa macra Beni Kase – 3) Hosta sieboldiana Frances Williams – 4) Acer palmatum Redwine