This section lists the tropical bamboo plant varieties we have in production. They
are all tropical, or sub-tropical, clumping bamboos and are generally not
cold-hardy like the temperate, running bamboos. Some, the sub-tropicals, can
tolerate freezing temperatures for short periods. Check the minimum
temperatures listed on each species description as a guideline for which
species can grow unprotected in your area.
Use our Search Bamboo page to find something specific.
Straight green culms with black striation. (The inverse of Tropical Black Bamboo).
This bamboo produces thick walled timber, thus very strong (and usually very straight) timber poles.
The black striations are retained after the timber has dried.
Up to 35' with 3" culms. Min. temp 28�F. Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
This has been the most popular tropical black bamboo during the past decade. Although the newer B. lako has become our top selling bamboo, there's still plenty of demand for this beauty. It is a tight clumper at the base but opens up as the culms arch outward, like a fountain. A perfect focal point for any garden.
Up to 40' with 3" culms. Min. temp 28�F. Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
Culms erect, straight and easily worked. Edible shoots. A large-growing, timber bamboo.
50' with 4" culms in Florida. Min. temp 28�F. Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
A medium-sized bamboo, grown primarily as an ornamental. Beautiful, striated culms; beige-yellow striped on blue-gray.
About 40' tall with 3" dia. culms. Minimum temp. 29 degrees F. Min USDA zone: 9a. 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.
An Indonesian import which, like many of the Widjaja-identified bamboos, was originally taxonomically numbered (G-17). We've been told it's local (Indonesian) name is panjang. Dr. Widjaja has now identified it as G.hasskarliana. It is a newer introduction that is performing beautifully in South Florida. The growth form is a tight clump with typical Gigantochloa pendulous culm tips. The culm sheaths are fairly persistant and add a nice intermittent contrast on the culms. The leaves are medium-sized for the genus. So far, it looks like a great garden ornamental and looks like it will mature at around 30' tall, maximum. Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone. ***Only one 3 gallon specimen available at this time***
Straight culms that arch outward in typical Gigantochloa form with large leaves. New culms are striated beautifully cream/pink, then the striations fade to white. The culm sheaths also start as bright pink, then fade before they drop off. This color transition is a beautiful bonus to enjoy on every new shoot. Originally collected in Sumatra by Austrailian Len Muller.
A new introduction to our nursery (and the continental U.S.).
This species is developing into a relatively small bamboo and looks to mature at less than 25'. Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
Similar to G.kuring Rachel Carson but a bit more vigorous and larger overall. This version was also the first of the two in Florida. Lavender stripes on the new culms. When mature, the stripes fade and some of the culms can turn a burnt orange color. Erect and symetrical. Can make a wonderful landscape statement.
30' with 1.5" culms in Florida. Min. temp 28°F. Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
Young culms densely covered with brown or white tomenta, turning whitish gray when full grown. Edible shoots. We expect to have availability in 2014.
About 40' tall with 3" dia. culms. Minimum temp. 29 degrees F. Min USDA zone: 9a. Click to find your zone.
From Thailand (South) and Malaysia (North). Found in open evergreen forest, disturbed lowland forest, scrub and wasteland. Normally at low elevations up to 1800'.
Imported through USDA quarantine in 2012, released to us in 2013. About 30' tall with 2" dia. culms. Minimum temp. 29 degrees F. Min USDA zone: 9a. Click to find your zone.
Collected in Thailand, this striking bamboo cleared USDA quarantine in 2018. Typical overall form for the species, the notable feature is that it has nearly white culms. Thin green, irregular pinstripes remain on the culms but, white is dominant. Test growing at Tropical Bamboo Nursery. Availability possible by late 2020 but more likely in early 2021.
Grows to about 25' tall with 1.5" dia. culms. Minimum temp. 29 degrees F. Min USDA zone: 9a. Click to find your zone.
Similar, but grows slightly larger than G.luteostriata 4776. Variegated leaves and a fountain shaped form make it a nice focal point in smaller gardens. The two varieties of G.luteostriata (4776 & 4447) were identified by Dr. Elizabeth Widjaja in Java, Indonesia. Will grow to about 18' tall with 3/4" diameter culms in Florida. Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
One of the smaller species of Gigantochloa. Variegated leaves and a fountain shaped form make it a nice focal point in smaller gardens. Will grow to about 12' tall with 1/2" diameter culms in Florida. Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.
One of the endemic bamboo species of Java, Indonesia. Found in the secondary tropical forest of Meru Betiri National Park, East Java, Indonesia.
Large leaves with naturally branchless lower culms. Grows in a fountain shape that's typical of many species of Gigantochloa.
About 30' tall at maturity with 2 dia. culms. Minimum temp. 29 degrees F. Min USDA zone: 9a. Click to find your zone.
This Indonesian ornamental was originally numbered G-4761. It is a medium-sized ornamental with an interesting striping pattern on the culm sheaths. Sometimes called Tiger Stripe Bamboo. The culms are green with cream-colored vertical pinstripes. Leaves are fairly narrow for a Gigantochloa. Should grow to 30' tall. Min USDA zone: 9b. Click to find your zone.