Bambusa glaucescens - Hedge Bamboo

Bambusa glaucescens is a medium-sized bamboo that is hardy enough to be grown in open ground in the mildest regions. It has all the luxuriance of exotic plants, topped with very dense and feathery foliage with a silver reverse that gracefully bends long and slender canes. In colder regions, this Bambusa will thrive in a conservatory which is unheated or slightly heated during the winter.

Bambusa glaucescens or Bambusa multiplex is a plant in the poaceae family, a type of grass with woody stems that grows from a non-running rhizomatous stump, called a clump. In this type of bamboo, the very short internode rhizomes develop slowly at the periphery of the stump, which gradually expands, but the inside of the clump remains very dense, without thinning out in the centre. This bamboo is native to Southeast Asia, specifically certain regions of China, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Indochina. It can withstand short frosts of around -7°C (19.4°F) in a sheltered position and well-drained soil.

Bambusa multiplex forms a bushy clump, very dense and compact at the base and tapering upwards. The young shoots or canes, which are grey-blue to light green, emerge from the ground in summer, reach maturity in autumn, and develop their leafy branches in spring. Depending on the growing conditions, the plant can reach a height of 3 to 9m (10 to 29.5ft). Eventually, the plant will spread over more than 3m (0ft) on the ground. The canes are green, upright, slender, 1 to 4cm (0.4 to 1.6in) in diameter and covered with brown hairs and a fine bloom that gives them a bluish appearance. Over time, they take on a beige to brownish colour, even yellowish in the sun. The sheaths that enclose the young shoots are brown and deciduous. The foliage on the culms is evergreen and mostly located towards the top of the canes. The leaves are abundant, small, and narrow, lanceolate and tapering to a point, light green on the upper side and a silver-grey on the reverse.

This non-running evergreen bamboo is dense in stems and foliage and as exotic as it is elegant, perfect for creating a small hedge or a beautiful green screen in mild climates. It will also make a great impact as a standalone clump or integrated into a shrub bed. When grown in a pot, this bamboo is the one to choose for decorating a conservatory or a large patio. Its growth will then be determined by the size of the pot and the care it receives. To brighten and animate its foliage in summer, it can be paired, for example, with a viticella-type clematis with red flowers (Madame Julia Correvon, purpurea Plena Elegans, Avant Garde), whose small foliage will blend naturally with the bamboo. Tall grasses, giant cannas, and tall dahlias (Dahlia imperialis) will also be good companions for this magnificent bamboo.