Bamboo Plant FAQ

answers the most frequently asked questions about bamboos

How many species of bamboo are there?

There are over 1,000 species and 91 genera in this group of perennial evergreen plants in the Poaceae grass family.

Where does bamboo grow?

These plants grow in many countries across the world from India to the USA, Europe to Africa, Australia to East Asia... from hot tropical climates to cold temperate zones... and has even been know to grow in Antarctica. The varieties that grow in cold climates are often the running types.

What types of bamboo are there?

There are two different types of bamboo species, running bamboo and clumping bamboo.

Do all bamboo plants spread?

This is a popular bamboo plant FAQ. Running bamboo types are good spreaders because they send out runners every year a good distance from the parent plant. Clumping bamboos however, do not spread so far so quickly as they stay in a clump and the new shoots generally pop up only a few inches away from the main plant every year. Your choice will depend on whether you want the bamboo to spread or would rather keep it contained in one area of your garden or land.

How far do the runners spread?

With the running type of species, rhizomes can pop up approximately the same distance away from the plant as it is in height. An 8ft high plant for example, can send rhizomes out up to 8ft before they shoot from the ground. These types of bamboos make excellent windbreaks , hedges, and privacy screens.

How deep are bamboo rhizomes in the soil?

The rhizomes of these plants are generally quite shallow. Although they can occasionally go deeper according to the conditions, they are usually less than 1ft deep. If you want to know about controlling the growth through use of a barrier see my pages on rhizome barriers and installation.

Do bamboo plants live very long?

Survival of the plant will depend on the local environmental conditions. If the conditions are favourable a grove can be maintained indefinitely and be consistent in production of new culms yearly. An individual culm will generally live between seven and ten years but by the time it begins to die off it has produced new culms to take it's place.

What climate do bamboo plants favour?

This bamboo plant FAQ is more complicated as there are so many species! As there are around a thousand species of these plants there are varieties that have adapted to different climates and temperatures. Some do best in a tropical environment yet others can even survive in extremely low temperatures such as minus 20F.

Is it possible to remove, transplant, or kill bamboo?

Yes it is possible to do all these things and they are the most asked questions on Bamboo Plant FAQ. However, there are many differing opinions on the methods of removing, transplanting, and killing bamboos. It appears to me that some methods work for some people and other methods work for others. If you are going to dig it up or try using herbicides to get rid of these plants be sure to do a good job of whatever method you choose. A half-hearted attempt at any method will no doubt lead to failure!

How do I care for my bamboo plant?

It is not difficult or time consuming to look after these plants, for some good tips on maintaining and caring for your bamboos please see my section dedicated to providing that information. It covers watering, nutrients, soil, mulch, and maintenance tasks.

How much water does bamboo need?

Bamboo do not do well in waterlogged conditions such as boggy or wetland areas and therefore do not like to be planted where they will be over watered. On the other hand, they also would not do well if they were kept in containers and allowed to become dried out, it would most likely kill them. Visit this page for tips on growing in containers or this one for general care and maintenance.

Is bamboo easy to grow?

This is a plant that requires no pesticides or fertilizers to grow and needs very little water to sustain. It is very popular as an ornamental evergreen garden plant and can make fantastic hedging, windbreaks, privacy screens, ground cover, and landscape design features in the garden.

Is bamboo really a type of grass?

Although it may not look like grass, it is a group of perennial evergreen plants in the Poaceae grass family. Some members of this group of are gigantic and the largest members of the grass family with growth of one metre a day from some species. Also, being a grass, a certain amount of control over spreading can be done by simply mowing the shoots as they appear out of the ground.

Are there any small species of bamboo?

Yes, there are many varieties of really small bamboo plants. This is a popular question on bamboo plant FAQ. I have listed some of the small dwarf varieties on my page dedicated to dwarf bamboo.

What is clumping bamboo?

Clumping bamboo does not send out runners, it stays in a tight clump, grows very slowly in comparison to running bamboo, and therefore makes a better choice for a non-invasive garden plant or a small garden where space is limited.

What is running bamboo?

The rhizomes of running bamboo spread out very quickly and it is therefore ideal for creating a windbreak or privacy wall by using it for a hedge or screen in your garden. Part of the value of growing bamboo plants is the fact that they spread quickly by shooting out runners. However, care needs to be taken due to its invasive behaviour through containing the growth with methods such as a rhizome barrier as it is very hard to kill bamboo. There are also other methods of controlling, or containing, its growth that involve pruning. Bamboos can also be grown in containers, see my page on container bamboo.

Where can I buy bamboo plants?

See my bamboo plants for sale page...

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From your interest in Bamboo Plant FAQ you will also find useful information on the following pages including species listings and guides