Bamboo Plants

Bamboo plants – more info

Add exotic allure to your garden with a fabulous bamboo plant. Despite the rep for being invasive, there are plenty of gentle bamboo plants available that form neat clumps. Alternatively, grow your bamboo in a large ornamental terracotta pot for a grown up and stylish feature. Create hedging, screening and privacy in your outdoor space using fast growing, tall bamboo plants like the RHS award-winning fish-pole bamboo. This statuesque variety reaches a height of 8m and behaves like a clump forming variety in the UK’s cool climate. They need little interference after establishment and provide a source of support canes for the veg patch too.

Which bamboo is not invasive?

Some bamboo varieties don’t create invasive runners from their roots, forming neat clumps instead. These are the varieties to grow if you have a small growing space or want your bamboo to stay in a certain area like a hedge or feature. Black bamboo is a non-invasive option with eye-catching glossy black stems that reach a height of 4m. This variety is exotic-looking, but is suitably winter hardy and thrives in the UK.

What’s the best compost for bamboo?

Bamboo plants prefer fertile, moist soil with a neutral to acidic pH. Choose a soil based compost mix like a John Innes number 2 or a peat-free multi-purpose compost with plenty of organic matter. They are fairly unfussy growers. Avoid dry or waterlogged soil for your bamboo by adding mulch to your plants when needed during warm summers, and include horticultural grit to potting mixes.

Does bamboo need a lot of water?

No, bamboo does not need a lot of water to thrive. If you live in a dry area with warm summers, water your bamboo plants every week and add a few spadefuls of thick mulch around the top of the root ball to keep the roots moist and cool. Check your potted bamboo twice a week during the summer. Do this by sticking a finger into the pot. If the compost is dry or hard, give the pot a good soak. Water in the evenings to reduce evaporation.