Bamboos, though they may look like trees, are actually a perennial type of plant belonging to the grass family (Poaceae). They are considered to be some of the fastest growing plants in the world, and though they have a reputation for being difficult to control and sometimes invasive, these plants actually have a lot of benefits to offer.

They are elegant plants, with many types being prized for their ornamental look. They are also easy to care for, make excellent privacy screens, and their quick growth means they are great for impatient gardeners who want a plant that will make a big impact in their yard in a short space of time.

This list of some of the best types of bamboo will help to ensure you get the bamboo, which is best for your climate and personal requirements.

12 Different Types of Bamboo For Your Climate & Gardens

1 Buddha Belly Bamboo –  Scientific Name: Bambusa ventricosa – Mature Size: Up to 55 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 9-12 – Light: Full sun to partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Fertile, well-draining – Special Features: Decorative stems.

This bamboo is native to China and gets its common name from its lumpy internodes, which resemble the bulging belly of Buddha. It is popularly used as an ornamental plant in containers and enjoys consistently moist and fertile soil. However, for the plant’s culm bulges to become exaggerated, it needs to be kept without fertilizer or in dry soil. It is a tropical plant that needs to be grown in temperate climates, though it can be kept indoors in cooler regions. It is a non-invasive type of bamboo and can be utilized as a living privacy screen.  Types of Buddha Belly Bamboo includes Giant Buddha Belly, Dwarf Buddha Belly and Yellow Buddha Belly.

2 Giant Bamboo –  Scientific Name: Dendrocalamas giganteus – Mature Size: Up to 100 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 9-11 – Light: Full sun to partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Well-draining, rich – Special Features: Huge canes.

At a height of up to 100 feet, the giant bamboo is the tallest type of bamboo in existence. It has chunky, sturdy culms that can measure up to one foot in circumference. These canes start out with a chalky white residue covering them, but as they age, they take on a faded dark blue through to pale green color. It grows incredibly quickly, producing shoots that are able to grow 12 inches in just one day. It is native to Thailand, Burma, and China, and flowers just once every four decades.

3 Umbrella Bamboo – Scientific Name: Fargesia murielae – Mature Size: Up to 15 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9 – Light: Partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Moisture retentive – Special Features: Winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

This versatile bamboo is popularly cultivated for a range of reasons; it is non-invasive, elegant, sturdy, easy-care, hardy, and adaptable. It features green-yellow canes from which slender, narrow leaves are produced. The foliage has a dainty look, and is bright green on top, while gray-green on the underside. The canes, as they grow, gently arc from the weight of their foliage, but do not snap or need staking. This bamboo grows quickly and has a clump-forming habit, typically spreading to around four or five feet in width. It likes to be grown in partial shade, as direct sun can cause the leaves to shrivel up.

4 Dragon Head Bamboo – Scientific Name: Fargesia rufa – Mature Size: Up to 8 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-8 – Light: Full sun to partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Well-draining, fertile – Special Features: Attractive foliage.

This is the type of bamboo which is loved as a primary food source for the Giant Panda. If you don’t have a panda to feed, grow this plant for its graceful aesthetic. It features shiny green canes that arch slightly as they age under the weight of their foliage. Foliage is blue-green, narrow, and glossy, with each leaf measuring around four inches in length. Native to China, this plant can be propagated easily from stem cuttings or division. It grows in a wide range of soils so long as they retain moisture well and will thrive in a combination of sun and shade. Ideally, the shade would be offered during the afternoon when the sun is at its most intense. This plant has been the recipient of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society and can be grown in containers, borders, or to create privacy screening.

5 Chinese Fountain Bamboo – Scientific Name: Fargesia nitida – Mature Size: Up to 15 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9 – Light: Partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Moisture retentive – Special Features: Suitable for most soil types.

This elegant plant features long and slender canes that arch heavily under the weight of their foliage. Canes are medium green with patches of flushed purple, forming clumps of up to five feet across. The foliage of this bamboo is long and narrow, with a matte surface in a dark shade of gray-green. This tough and reliable plant can tolerate severe cold and does not like excessive heat. It fares best in a partially shaded position and requires less sunlight to thrive than most other bamboo plants. It will grow in a wide range of soil types, including poorly draining and soggy soil, making it suitable for planting along riverbanks, near ponds, and streams.

6 Fish Pole Bamboo – Scientific Name: Phyllostachys aurea – Mature Size: Up to 25 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-11 – Light: Full sun to partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Well-draining – Special Features: Tolerant of heat and drought.

The smooth and straight canes of this plant have earned it the common name of ‘fish pole bamboo.’ The canes are evergreen, starting out bright medium green, but dulling to a pale yellow-green with maturity. The canes are sturdy, tough, and relentlessly remain upright without arching. The plant has a vigorous growth habit, growing up to 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide. It is cold hardy, tolerant of heat and drought, though it prefers to grow in moist soil. When kept in dry conditions, the plant will form clumps; however, in moist soil and warm temperatures, it can become invasive.

The fish pole bamboo plant has received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. It is native to China, where its silky canes have been used to make walking sticks and handles for umbrellas.

7 Japanese Timber Bamboo – Scientific Name: Phyllostachys bambusoides – Mature Size: Up to 70 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-10 – Light: Full sun to partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Well-draining, fertile – Special Features: Cultivated for use as timber.

Despite being native to China, this plant is commonly known as Japanese timber bamboo, because it is widely cultivated in Japan, and harvested for use as timber. The canes of this bamboo are glossy and smooth. They emerge in a stunning shade of rich emerald green, fading to yellow-green as they age. 

The canes gently arch under the weight of the weeping foliage, which is bright green on the surface, and dull green underneath. Each leaf can measure up to seven inches long and takes a broader shape than most bamboo plants. Due to its clumping habit and its thick canes, which can measure up to six inches across, this plant makes a good privacy screen or living fence. It prefers rich, moist, well-draining soil, though it can become invasive in ideal conditions such as these.

8 Hedge Bamboo – Scientific Name: Phyllostachys glauca – Mature Size: Up to 25 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-10 – Light: Full sun – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Well-draining – Special Features: Drought tolerant.

This vigorous evergreen bamboo is notable for its glowing turquoise canes, which are a result of bright green culms shrouded in blue-gray powder. This stunning effect is only present in younger plants, as the powder is lost with age, and the canes fade to a yellow-green. Each cane measures around two inches in width, with an upright growth habit. It prefers warm climates where it grows quickly, though, in cooler weather, the growth will halt. This is not an invasive species but will spread gradually to form a small bamboo orchard, up to 20 feet wide.

9 Black Bamboo – Scientific Name: Phyllostachys nigra – Mature Size: Up to 25 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-11 – Light: Full sun to partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Rich, well-draining – Special Features: Striking canes.

This unusual bamboo produces slender upright canes, which are olive green when young They quickly start to develop into a marbled brown color before becoming entirely black in around two to three years. All of the canes of the plant will go through color development at slightly different types, giving a multi-colored effect when viewed as a whole. The canes of this bamboo measure approximately two inches across, and have a smooth and glossy surface. Once black, the canes are a stark contrast to the foliage of the plant, which is a bright glossy green.

This stunning plant is valued as an ornamental plant and has won the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. Black bamboo has a vigorous growth habit and could potentially become invasive in hot, humid, and moist conditions. It will work well as a privacy hedge, as an ornamental plant, and in container gardens.

10 Green Glaucous Bamboo – Scientific Name: Phyllostachys viridiglaucescens – Mature Size: Up to 30 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-11 – Light: Full sun to partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Well-draining, fertile – Special Features: Striped culms.

This bamboo grows easily and spreads in a dense habit to form a grove. Due to this quality, it works exceptionally well as a privacy screen or an informal living fence. The canes of this plant emerge in a deep shade of emerald green, developing to lime green with age and eventually maturing to a golden yellow-green. The canes are striped with white at the nodes, giving them a unique patterned effect.

The foliage of this plant is medium green, long and broad. Each leaf typically measures around seven inches in length. It prefers well-draining and moist soil, though it can sometimes become invasive in ideal conditions.

11 Moso Bamboo – Scientific Name: Phyllostachys edulis – Mature Size: Up to 60 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-10 – Light: Full sun to partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Fertile, well-draining – Special Features: Majestic silhouette.

This statuesque plant is noted for its striking elegance and majestic appeal. It grows to around 60 feet in height, making it the world’s tallest type of hardy bamboo. The culms are very thick and robust, with a width of up to eight inches. These canes, unusually, are blanketed in a fine covering of soft, velvety hair. The canes start out dark green, then becoming yellow-green, and finally settling on orange-yellow. The foliage of the plant is a stark contrast to the great size of its culms, as the leaves are notably small, measuring up to three inches long.  

Moso bamboo enjoys warm and moist conditions, where it can grow aggressively to the point of becoming a problem species. However, in cooler climates, its growth spread will be stunted. This plant is native to East Asia, and it is cultivated throughout Japan and China for the production of paper.

12 Painted Bamboo – Scientific Name: Bambusa vulgaris ‘Vittata’ – Mature Size: Up to 60 feet tall – USDA Hardiness Zone: 9-12 – Light: Full sun to partial shade – Water: Maintain moist soil – Soil: Fertile, well-draining – Special Features: Patterned canes.

This is popular ornamental bamboo, which is prized for the vertical stripes on its culms. It has pale golden canes which have various sized deep green striped markings in random patterns between each node. Painted bamboo typically grows between 40 and 60 feet tall, gently arching with age under the weight of the foliage. Long and narrow leaves measure up to seven inches long. This is a non-invasive species that has a strong and complex root system, which makes it useful for erosion control.

How To Use Bamboo In Your Landscaping Project

Privacy Screens – One of the most popular uses for clumping bamboo is privacy screens. Not only are bamboo privacy screens more natural than common privacy fences, but they also cost less, require little maintenance and they are not restricted by most city ordinance guidelines. In addition, clumping bamboo plants are among the fastest growing plants in the world. It generally only takes 2 to 5 years for bamboo plant to reach full maturity, which means that you could literally have a 50 foot privacy screen in less than 5 years.

Aside from their aesthetic appeal, bamboo privacy screens can also provide some measure of security. Clumping bamboo plants often have different clumping patterns, with some growing so thick and dense that even small animals cannot pass through them. These thick clumping varieties, such as Multiplex, are referred to as “tight clumpers” and make an excellent security fence. Other varieties, known as “open clumpers” have culms that grow further apart and make for an excellent green screen.

Some of the best choices for privacy screens include: Blue Bamboo, Seabreeze, Angel Mist, Golden Hawaiian, Buddha Belly.

Hedges – In some cases, when a full privacy fence or screen is undesirable, clumping bamboo plants make an excellent choice for hedges. Unlike other popular hedge plants, whenever a culm is cut, it will never grow any taller. However, new culms come up annually that will surpass the height of the cut culm. This means that you only have to trim your bamboo hedge about once a year in order to keep it at the height you desire.

Nearly any nearly any clumping bamboo variety can be used to create a wonderful hedge. However, when creating a hedge, most people prefer Multiplex varieties as opposed to timber bamboo.

Recommended hedge bamboo varieties include: Graceful Bamboo, Seabreeze, Angel Mist, Multiplex Hedge, Black Bamboo, Fernleaf, Silverstripe, Stripestem, Alphonse Karr.

Wind Brakes -Bamboo is a flexible and resistant plant that makes an excellent option for wind brakes. With more people than ever before looking to reduce their energy consumption and bills, many are looking to wind brakes as a method for channeling cool summer breezes and deflecting cold winter winds. By using bamboo to create a landscape design that channels cool winds during the hot summer months and reduce the amount of cold winter winds that reach your home, you can reduce the amount of stress on your home’s heating and cooling system.

Containers –Another popular choice for landscaping with bamboo is containers and pots. Watson containers offer a great degree of versatility in how you can implement bamboo into your landscaping. It is also great choice for using bamboo in urban landscapes and areas where space and privacy are a factor.

Some popular uses for container bamboo are:

• Ornamental centerpieces
• Privacy screens
• Patio or porch decoration
• Gazebos
• Walkway lining
• And anything else you can imagine

It is also important to know that when planted in containers, bamboo plants typically grow to about half of their full-size. It is also typical for them to outgrow their containers, which means that they will have to be divided every 2 to 4 years.

Ornamental Centerpieces –

Many landscapers and home gardeners have found that clumping bamboo plants are the perfect choice for creating an ornamental centerpiece. Whether an urban yard or an Asian inspired landscaping theme, the unique attributes offered by many varieties of bamboo make a perfect focal point, ornamental centerpiece and conversation piece.

Some of the more popular choices for ornamental bamboo include:  Buddha’s Belly,  Alphonse Karr, Tropical Blue, Golden Hawaiian, Angel Mist.

Other Ideas – In addition to the most common uses of bamboo, there are numerous ways that you can incorporate bamboo into your landscape. Even if you don’t have a themed design or are simply looking for a bamboo to complement your current design, this versatile plant can be used in a wide variety of applications.

Some of these include:

• Lining walkways
• Complementing water features
• Creating shaded paths
• Edging
• Creating shaded gazebos
• And more

Using Bamboo For Landscaping.  Clumping bamboo plants are one of the most diverse and versatile plant varieties available for your landscaping projects. Not only do they grow super-fast, but they are practically unlimited in their applications. On top of that, they are also very low-maintenance and require little more than regular watering, yearly fertilizer applications and annual pruning.

Clumping bamboo plants can be used for many purposes. Among the most popular are fences, living screens, landscape appeal and more. In addition, the canes produced by bamboo plants are world renowned for their applications in making crafts, wood products, flooring, furniture and so forth. In fact, the possibilities are nearly endless. As a final bonus, the shoots produced by these unique grasses are also edible and a great source of nutrition.

4 Questions To Answer Before Planting Your Bamboo Plants.

Perhaps, the most important question that you must answer before you even order your bamboo plants is: What is the purpose of installing bamboo? Answering this first question will have a large impact on how you answer the following 4 questions. For example, adding a few well spaced bamboo plants to your landscape for aesthetic purposes can have a big effect on what variety of bamboo to choose. Likewise, if you are planning to create a green privacy screen, then you want to choose a bamboo variety that is good for screening, as well as meets your space requirements. After you have determined what it is that you want to achieve by installing clumping bamboo plants, then you can begin by answering the following questions.

1  what variety of Bamboo Do You Wish To Plant?

The first step in determining what type of bamboo you should plant is finding out which varieties will do well in your region. With over 1,400 varieties available, you can easily find a number of options that will do well where you live.

Different bamboo varieties have vastly different requirements. Some may do well in colder regions, while others cannot survive outside of a tropical or sub-tropical climate. Some bamboo plants are also more well known for their screening abilities, attractive looks or even their cold hardiness. So, it is important to ensure that you choose a variety suitable to where you live and your purpose.

2 What Are The Water Requirements For your Bamboo?

Bamboo plants are widely known for being very thirsty. Ensuring that you can meet their water requirements is especially important for young plants, even varieties that are known for being more drought tolerant. Young bamboo plants are thirstiest of all as they need this vital nutrient in order to grow and establish themselves.

Once bamboo plants are well established in the ground, they tend to be much more hardy and tolerant of cool temperatures, drought, winds and other environmental factors. However, it is important to note that bamboo does not respond well to overwatering, boggy conditions or wet feet. For those who don’t have time to personally water their plants everyday, a simple solution is to set up drip irrigation line or environmentally-friendly water recycling system.

3 How Much Sun Does Your Bamboo Require?

While it may not seem like a major factor, knowing and providing the appropriate amount of sunlight that your bamboo plant needs can have a huge impact on the growth and survival of your plants. There is not really a one size fits all recommendation for the sunlight requirements of bamboo. Instead, determining how much sunlight is needed depends on the variety of bamboo you choose.

Many smaller varieties of bamboo do not require as much light, and may actually prefer partial shade (especially during the hottest part of the day). In general, the larger the variety of bamboo is, the more sunlight it will require. These larger bamboo varieties, including many giant bamboos, tend to require a minimum of 5 or more hours daily of direct, full sunlight.

4 How Much Space Do You Need?

Space requirements are also another important consideration that you must make in order to determine which bamboo variety best suits your needs. Unlike running bamboo, clumping bamboo plants do not stray very far from where they are planted and grow in circular clumps. In fact, many varieties are known as tight or compact clumpers. The biggest factor in determining how much space you need is your purpose for planting bamboo.

The diameter of clumping bamboo plants can vary anywhere between 4 feet and 16 feet or more. If you’re looking for an ornamental centerpiece or creating a living green screen for your yard, then it may be desirable for your bamboo plant to have a wide diameter. Likewise, if you would like to create a bamboo privacy screen, but are restricted in how much space you have – you can also find a number of varieties that are compact and have a very small footprint. This is why it is important to know how much space you have and how much space your bamboo plants will need.

Many people agonize over installing their new bamboo plants correctly. However, as with many projects, planning is the biggest part. In just a few easy steps, you can quickly have your bamboo plants installed in your yard or landscape and ready to thrive.

Start Digging – The first thing you want to do is dig a hole that is about 1 to 3 inches deeper than your bamboo plant’s pot or root ball, and about twice as big in diameter. In order to ensure that your bamboo plants receive as much nutrition as possible, it is recommended that you apply a layer of mulch or compost to the bottom of the hole. In addition to providing an excellent source of nutrition, this also ensures that there is adequate drainage around the plant’s roots.

Place Your Plant – Next, you simply remove your bamboo plant’s nursery pot (if the root ball has actually begun to outgrow the pot, then you may have to cut it off), and place it in the center of your prepared hole. If there are any new shoots or culms, then you should take care to cause as little damage to them as possible. Ensure that your plant is vertically aligned as straight as possible, and you are ready for the next step.

Backfill & Water – If you are using the dirt that you removed from the hole, then it is recommended that you mix it in equal parts with a compost or mulch before backfilling the hole. Otherwise, you may also decide to use an organic potting soil mix. After you have planted your bamboo, you should press down on the soil in order to ensure that there is a firm base surrounding the roots. Your plant should now be buried approximately as deep as it was in its nursery container. Now, water thoroughly.

While this is not a requirement, it may be helpful to create a peak that is about 2 to 3 inches high and twice the diameter of the pot that your bamboo arrived in – in order to help direct water to remain around the roots of the plant. Make sure that you provide enough water for the various layers of soil to merge together and completely fill in the area surrounding the roots.

Mulch – It is very important, not only to provide nutrition for the plant, but also to provide insulation for the roots. Mulch, grass clippings, woodchips or compost are all great choices for insulating the base of your plant. If you created a peak surrounding the hole, then you can simply fill in the depression between the peak and the base of the plant. This is especially important in colder climates as a majority of bamboo plant growth occurs in the root system throughout the winter months. While foliage can survive and regrow after unusually cool temperatures, damage to the root system can be detrimental while your plant is still young.

Feed – It should not have to be time-consuming or confusing to provide your plants with adequate nutrition, that is why we recommend a slow-release, high nitrogen fertilizer that only has to be applied once a year. Use a fertilizer that has  controlled-release, with environmentally friendly technology, and will not wash away when it rains or become a problem for the local water pool.

By following these easy steps, anyone can enjoy creating the garden or landscape of their dreams. Whether you are creating a bamboo privacy screen or hedge, adding a few ornamental focal points or just experimenting with bamboo, you can easily achieve the desired results with plants that are guaranteed to thrive.

SUNLIGHT

Most tropical bamboos grow quicker and do their best in full sun. If at least four hours of sun reaches the leaves, your tropical bamboo will be happy. If grown in broken light or partial sun, the number of shoots per year will not be as high as if it were in full sun. Some tropical bamboo species will stretch – elongating its internodes – if grown under the canopy of another tree to reach the sun. These bamboos have culms that have been measured much longer than their standard ABS listing.

WATERING

When you first plant your bamboo, you will need to make sure that it has enough water every day for at least a month or so. This means you may have to hose soak it if your irrigation system only hits the area every other day or less often. Even if your irrigation system covers the area daily, watch the leaves of your new bamboo. If they start to curl, the bamboo needs more water. This is easily the number one problem reported by new growers. I certainly don’t want you to keep your bamboo in standing water but please make sure it gets off to a good start with a bit of early watering diligence.

DRAINAGE

The most important part of your bamboo plant is under ground. The rhizome and root system will not survive if planted in muck or boggy conditions. Good drainage is important. If necessary, build up a small berm and plant in this area so that excess water can drain into lower areas.

FERTILIZING and MULCH

New bamboos can be fertilized with a balanced lawn or, especially, palm fertilizer. After the first year, higher nitrogen formulas can be used. Iron supplements are beneficial. If your soil is somewhat alkaline (as in South Florida), there are many Sulphur/iron mixes (granular or liquid) that work well and show favorable results quickly. Don’t use a weed-n-feed lawn fertilizer.

Compost and mulch are the easiest way to maintain healthy soil and bamboos. If your mulch is fresh and uncomposted, fertilize before mulching. The microorganisms that break down the mulch will rob the nitrogen from the soil, so you’ll have to feed them as well as the bamboo.

PRUNING

After the second year you can remove some of the original growth. Do not take more than 1/3 of the culms. Cut out only the old culms (usually the smallest in the clump). Cut them near the ground (or just below ground to eliminate any small stumps). If a culm is tan, it’s dead and should be removed. We use a small handsaw or a reciprocating saw. You can thin the clump each year. Avoid removing the newest culms unless they are growing awkwardly or into an unwelcome area. You can also remove or shorten branches to reveal the canes or to create a more open effect. I do this with all my low-branching species as a personal preference.

If you’re planting several bamboos to create a screen, hedge, or windbreak, the spacing will vary depending on the species, density required, and the speed required for establishment. Tropical bamboos can be planted as close as 3 feet on center but 5 feet on centers is the average spacing.

How do I care for my bamboo that grows in water & pebbles (Lucky Bamboo)?

The popular “lucky bamboo” plant is technically “dracaena sanderia,” – a lily, not an actual bamboo plant. It is a houseplant that is most often rooted in water and supported by pebbles. We only grow tropical bamboos and can only offer expert advice on our specialty. Real tropical bamboos cannot survive if planted in water, or even with constant wet feet. Ours are landscape ornamentals that grow relatively large, depending on the species, and are happiest if planted outdoors.

Are there any pests or diseases that infest or infect tropical bamboo plants?

Tropical bamboos are less susceptible to pests or diseases than most other tropical plants. However, there are a couple of pests, a fungus, and a virus that, in the U.S., may be introduced to you in conversation or you may suspect on your tropical bamboo plant. Most are not fatal and usually don’t greatly affect the growth of the bamboo. We, and our local Plant Industry inspectors, monitor our stock to ensure that no problems originate at our nursery.

Fungal spots – On older culms, especially in humid conditions, fungal spots can appear – usually in a circular ring pattern. The effect is mostly cosmetic. This can be treated topically with a copper-based product that’s labeled for plant fungus problems. Alternatively, since the affected culms are usually old, the culm(s) can be simply removed from the clump.

Bamboo Spider Mites – Spider mites used to be more commonly associated with temperate, running bamboos in the USA. For decades, tropical bamboos were mostly planted as single ornamental specimens and didn’t provide the density preferred by mites.

Since tropical, clumping bamboos are now being utilized as privacy screens and are becoming popular in private jungle landscapes and food forests, the mites have noticed. They are now targeting some of these tropical bamboo species.

Like other bamboo pests, the damage is mostly cosmetic. The leaves will show irregular yellow spots where the mites have pierced and sucked out the leaf juices. You may see some webbing on the undersides of some of the leaves.

Spider mites are active during hot, dry summer months. They become mostly dormant in fall and winter. You can treat them with biological controls (predatory mites), with natural miticidal sprays (neem oil, pyrethrins), or with a systemic miticide like Abamectin. Since Abamectin is a natural fermented product, it could be considered a natural control.

Also, it’s possible to use predatory mites IN CONJUNCTION with Abamectin. The predators do not eat the bamboo that has been sprayed, only other mites and aphids, so the predators won’t be killed by the Abamectin.

The predatory mites that seem to work best on bamboo mites are:
Neoseiulus (Amblyseius) fallacis, Neoseiulus (Amblyseius) californicus, and Amblyseius cucumeris.

The treatments, applied as directed, will take care of the bamboo mites. The damaged leaves won’t heal so you might think the mites are still around. Since bamboo leaves do cycle quickly, the damaged leaves will eventually drop off and new, undamaged leaves will replace them. You can also trim off the most visibly damaged leaves to encourage new growth.

Please follow the application instructions for whatever treatments you use. We cannot calculate mix rates or predator mite quantities for you.

Black Sooty Mold – this is probably the most common issue reported on tropical bamboos. In South Florida, the B.multiplex varieties are most susceptible. Any bamboo species with dense branch compliments at the nodes are good candidates. The problem is caused by aphids that secrete a sticky honey-like substance that accumulates mostly in the branch bases. The sooty mold grows on this secretion. Ants favor the secretion and will farm the aphids, moving them around to other parts of the bamboo. Treat with garden center products labeled for control ants and/or aphids. You can also use a pressure washer to blast off the mold.

Scale – This is often ignored by growers as it can be difficult to notice. It can, however, become so dense that it can completely cover culms in a clump, changing the color to brownish/gray. Regardless, the bamboo never seems to notice their presence, so treatment is often a matter of personal preference. Scale affects many of the Bambusa species as the culm are glabrous. Some of the Dendrocalamus, like giganteus, are also favorites. Scale are tiny sucking insects with waxy coverings on their backs. They must be either removed physically or treated systemically. Contact insecticides are ineffective because of the waxy shield. If systemic insecticides (insecticides that are absorbed into the plant tissue and consumed by the sucking insect) are used, the dead bugs will remain attached to the culm, branch, or leaf. It’s easy to blast them off the culms, dead or alive, with a pressure washer. Use garden center systemic products labeled for scale. Insecticidal oils and soaps may be effective but must be applied at more frequent intervals.

Bamboo Mealybug (Palmicultor lumpurensis) – This is a bamboo-specific mealybug so it should not affect other plants. It was first officially reported in 2002 in Central Florida.  The mealybugs are multi-stage insects and are easily identified when they are surrounded by sticky white webbing – almost always on new shoot tips (culm tips or branches). If you see unusual white substance on shoot tips, peel back the culm leaves and you should see small pink bodies in the webbing or on the culm.

Sometimes natural white powdery bloom on the new shoot can appear to be the webbing but is a false alarm. Make sure you look for the bugs before assuming infestation. Usually the bamboo shoots develop with no adverse effects. Occasionally, the infestation is so severe that the culm, or culms, abort. Mealybugs won’t kill a clump of bamboo but they can get ugly and possibly cause shoots to abort.

The mealybug destroyer(Crypt) Beneficial predatory insects can be effective at least short-term. The mealybug destroyer (Crypts) especially loves these mealybugs and will quickly eat any active colonies. Crypts can be ordered from many online sources. The problem is that mealy bugs are multi-stage and the Crypts only stay around if there is live food (not eggs). As soon as the Crypts leave, new mealys hatch and you may have to buy more Crypts.

Systemic and contact insecticides are effective and there are several available at garden centers labeled for mealybugs. A detergent (Ivory dish soap is great) should be added as a surfactant if you foliar spray with a contact insecticide as the webbing is difficult to penetrate with a water-based solution. The key is to thoroughly spray your bamboo – all sides, top to bottom. Don’t miss any part of the bamboo and spray out to the drip line on the ground. Then re-apply every 10-14 days for at least three cycles. Do this even if you don’t see any new mealys that have hatched. You must break the cycle. If you spray once or twice and think you’ve eliminated the problem, new bugs will appear in a few weeks to taunt you.”

The most-effective treatment to date for homeowners is one of the Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub products. These are available at most garden centers and home improvement stores. They are applied simply by drenching the root zone or by spreading slow-release granules around the root zone. If you can’t find these specific products, look for a similar product that contains the active ingredient imidacloprid which is a synthetic form of nicotine.

On a commercial scale, or for a bamboo-hobbyist with a large collection, the formula below is thoroughly effective in eliminating and preventing any mealybugs (and most other sucking insects). These products are not yet labeled for use on bamboo plants (although they are labeled for mealybug control on other plants). That means I’m only providing information on what works for me, not suggesting anyone follow my experimental formula. I do not assume any product liability:

Different tank mixtures, rotated every 2 months:

1) (Dinotefuran) Safari together with Joint Venture surfactant (or Ivory dish detergent) in the spray tank. The Safari is mixed with 50 gallons of water at 5 oz. total. I mix in 8 oz. of Joint Venture. I also mix in Tracite 20-20-20 water-soluble fertilizer to provide some nutritional benefit for the bamboos. Soak the infested bamboo top to bottom – especially the shoots and branch shoots. Make sure the inner culms are covered as well. You must re-apply after 14 days to make sure any new hatchlings are zapped.

2) (Buprofezin) Talus, which interrupts the larval stage of the growth cycle. This comes in bags containing 24 water-soluble pouches. One pouch per 10 gallons. Dimethoate (Cygon) can be mixed in at 16 oz. per 50 gallons. Joint Venture surfactant 8 oz. Per 50 gallons (or Ivory dish detergent). No fertilizer is added to the tank with Talus because it is labeled to not be mixed with boron, chromium, or other micronutrients.

The Safari treatment seems most powerful immediately as a systemic control, but it is important to rotate insecticides. Obviously, take measures to prevent getting any of this stuff on your skin or in your lungs.

BaMV (Bamboo Mosaic Potex Virus) – When bamboo growers in the USA ask send us photos asking if their bamboo is infected with BaMV our first response, without even looking at the photos, is “it’s doubtful”. This is simply not a common bamboo disease in the USA.

All legally imported bamboos are checked for BaMV while in quarantine for more than two years.

It is a rare virus that is transmitted only by physical vectors (usually cutting tools). It is difficult to transmit but people do manage to spread it – especially in countries where bamboo is grown in plantations for edible shoots. Reputable ornamental growers do not freely distribute infected plants so you may never encounter this disease. Of course, if you illegally import bamboo plants or seeds there’s a chance, you’ll be introducing the virus.