BAMBOO - List of Hedging / Screening / Privacy Plants
This section lists the temperate bamboo plant species we are growing. Although
they are temperate, and many of the temperate bamboos do not grow well in
South Florida, we have been test-growing and selecting the species that
perform well in our climate. These species will, of course, be well-suited
for colder climates as well. They are all running bamboos with various
levels of aggressiveness and may require a method of containment to keep the
from spreading beyond your intended planting area. Most are ideal bamboos
for containers.
The new culms are dark green covered with white powder which gives them a bluish look. Small clumping, mountain bamboo. Should not be grown in full-sun - especially in South Florida. Does well when planted in filtered sunlight. Will grow to about 8'-10' tall. Min USDA zone: 8b. Click to find your zone.
A medium-sized bamboo, grown primarily as an ornamental.
Leaf sheath initially pubescent; glabrous in age. Inflorescence on leafless branches. Culm leaves (sheaths) are distinctly mottled in a snakeskin pattern.
This imperfectly understood species is known only from its type gathering. It may represent one of many little-known, cultivated Gigantochloa species of Southern Yunnan, or it may perhaps have become extinct in the wild. Click to find your zone.
A large tufted elegant bamboo with thin, delicate leaves. Culms straight and culm leaves (sheaths) are not retained on new culms, unlike T.siamensis. When culm sheaths are shed, new culms reveal a distinct lime-green color. Very tight clumping pattern. This is a rare species in the U.S. so we're still test-growing.
Will grow to at least 40' tall with 2.5" diameter culms in Florida. Minimum temp. 27 degrees F. Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
One of the most graceful bamboos known. Culm walls very thick,
almost solid - small leaves. Extremely erect and tight clumping. Culms used for umbrella handles in Thailand. Planted as an ornamental by Buddhist monks around temples. Shoots edible. There are several cultivars of this species in distribution within the U.S. and we've collected four different forms (so far). This one we call 'standard' as it is the truest in form. 40' with 3" culms. Min. temp 25�F.
Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
This is a cultivar that we picked up in Clifornia. Compared to the cultivar we call 'standard' it grows with the same tight clump form but not as erect - the culms open at the top and arch outward a bit. The leaves are also somewhat thinner than the leaves on the standard form.
Min. temp 25�F.
Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
A cultivar that we picked up in Hawaii. Still too young to determine the mature characteristics. It is already distinguishing itself from our other cultivars but we'll wait another growth season before describing the differences.
Min. temp 25°F.
Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
Among the siamensis cultivars, this one is the easiest to distinguish. It has tiny leaves and the overall form starts mushroom-shaped then, after a few years, matures with a distinct hourglass shape. The clump is still typically tight. It was propagated from seedling stock by Redlands Nursery in South Florida.
Min. temp 25�F.
Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
A new cultivar from Thai seed stock (2009). This one will take a few years before we know which seedlings will be most vigorous and also what overall form/appearance they will reveal.
Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
A rare discovery in NE Thailand. This cultivar looks identical to the standard T.siamensis that grows throughout SE Asia.
What distinguishes it from all others is that the shoots are edible, and delicious, RAW. This is significant as most bamboo shoots must be boiled to remove bitterness - especially shoots of T.siamensis which are notoriously bitter. I was brought to the bamboo and a new shoot was kicked over and handed to me to try. Sure enough, no bitterness!
It was sent to USDA quarantine in September 2015 where it spent three years, finally being released in September 2018. This bamboo spent more time in quarantine that any other we've introduced. It was repeatedly tested for viruses and phytoplasmas until ultimately being determined to be clear of any pathogen.
We have planted this bamboo (2018) in our test field to let it develop. It will take several years until we're certain this bamboo will perform as we observed in Thailand.
Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
