Bamboo Plant Information For NZ

Bamboo Care

Bamboo care is about making sure the plants are thriving. Our plant care articles provide the necessary details to give you the greatest chance of success. Afterall, there is nothing worse than investing in the plants, putting the effort into planting them, and then having them fail. Therefore, follow our advice and give yourself the best chance of success.

How Do I Bring A Bamboo Plant Back To Life?

Whether you can revive your bamboo plant depends on the severity of the problem:

• Yellowing leaves: This is a common sign of various issues. It could be due to improper watering (over or underwatering), lack of light, nutrient deficiency, or even pests or disease issues.
• Drooping or wilting stems: This can indicate severe underwatering, root rot from overwatering, or a lack of sunlight.
• Brown or black stems: This is a sign of significant damage and might be harder to reverse. It could be due to severe underwatering, root rot, or even a bacterial or fungal infection.

Steps to revive your bamboo plant:

• Underwatering: If the soil is dry, soak the plant thoroughly and then water regularly when the top inch of soil feels dry.
• Overwatering: Remove the plant from the pot and check the roots. If they are mushy or brown, remove the rotten parts and repot the plant in fresh, well-draining soil. Reduce watering frequency.
• Adjust lighting: Move your bamboo to a location with bright, indirect sunlight. Avoid direct sunlight, which can scorch the leaves.
• If your bamboo is in soil and hasn't been fertilized in a while, you can give it a diluted dose of liquid fertilizer during the growing season (spring and summer). However, avoid over-fertilising the plant as this will cause other issues.
• Treat pests or diseases: Inspect your plant for signs of pests or diseases. If you see any, treat with an appropriate insecticide or fungicide.
• Prune dead or diseased parts: Remove any yellow, brown, or black leaves and stems to prevent further spread of problems.

Reviving a stressed bamboo plant takes time. Be patient and with consistent and proper care, and you might see signs of improvement within a few weeks.

How Do You Keep A Bamboo Healthy?

There are a few things you can do to keep your bamboo healthy:

• Bamboo palms prefer full-sun conditions. In shade, they can become stretched and sickly looking.
• Maintain a consistently moist soil but avoid overwatering. Let the 25 mm of soil dry out between waterings. Underwatering is generally better than overwatering for bamboo.
• Use a well-draining potting mix that has good aeration along with good fertility levels.
• Bamboo thrives in warm temperatures, ideally between 18 and 28 degrees Celsius.
• They also prefer medium to high humidity.
• Apply a balanced fertilizer during spring and summer. A slow-release shrub fertilizer is best.

Bamboo Fertiliser

The correct feed for Bamboo is important to ensure the plants thrive. The correct fertiliser, however, depends on whether the plant is grown in a pot or in soil, and getting this wrong can be disastrous for your plants. Our articles provide the best advice so you can achieve the amazing results you are after.

What Is The Best Fertiliser For Bamboo Grown In A Pot?

Bamboo grown in a pot require different fertiliser to those grown outdoors in soil. In this instance the correct fertiliser to use is either container plant fertiliser or fertiliser tablets. Each of these will provide safe, sustained, and complete nutrition to the plant for the next 12-months. Using other types of fertilisers can be detrimental to the plant and may result in plant injury or death.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time, but this is not essential if container plant fertiliser or fertiliser tablets have been used. If you think the plant needs an extra boost or has some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and lush as the nutrition is right where the plant needs it.

What Is The Best Fertiliser For Bamboo Plants?

Bamboo are vigorous plants that require feeding to keep them growing optimally. The Plant Company’s shrub fertiliser has been blended to give plants an initial boost and then sustained nutrition for 12-months. We recommend the fertiliser is applied to the soil surface in spring just as the plants start to grow actively. More importantly, we advise that no fertiliser is placed in the hole at planting, but rather spread around the soil surface so it can wash through the roots as it releases. This Plant Company’s shrub fertiliser ensures that nutrients remain in the soil around the plant rather than being lost through the soil profile to where the plant cannot reach it. This also applies to plants grown on sandy soils. Our shrub fertiliser is therefore very environmentally friendly and longer lasting than most other products in the market.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time, but this is not essential if shrub fertiliser has been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and lush.

Bamboo General Information

This series of articles answers many of the frequently asked questions about Bamboo, such as how fast they grow, their hardiness, and more!

Clumping Bamboo Varieties in NZ – Non-invasive

There are many varieties of clumping bamboo that thrive in New Zealand's climate. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Fargesia nitida This clumping bamboo is known for its dense, upright growth habit and attractive foliage. Fargesia bamboo are all cold-tolerant and low-maintenance.

Bambusa 'Golden Goddess' This popular variety is prized for its bright yellow culms (stems) and green leaves with a golden margin. It's a fast-growing, medium-sized bamboo that can reach up to 4 m tall. It is a good choice for creating privacy screens or hedges.

Bambusa textilis var. gracilis Also known as Weeping or Fairy Bamboo, this variety has graceful, arching culms, and soft foliage. Bambusa textilis is a good choice for adding a touch of the exotic elegance to your garden.

Bambusa 'Wang Tsai' This Chinese clumping variety is known for its graceful, curving green to orange-brown stems and dark green tufted foliage. It's a hardy bamboo that grows to about 4 m tall.

How Can A Bamboo Plant Have Orange Berries On It?

Bamboo itself won't have orange berries. That is because it is a grass and reproduces through flowering and seeds, not berries. In this instance, the berries may be on a plant called "heavenly bamboo", which is actually Nandina. This shrub has bamboo-like stalks and can have orange-red berries in autumn and winter.

How Fast Do Bamboo Trees Grow?

Bamboo actually isn't a tree, it's a fast-growing grass! Bamboo holds the title of the world's fastest-growing woody plant with some species able to grow 1 m per day. This rapid growth typically happens in the spring when new shoots emerge from the ground. These shoots grow in height and diameter for about 60 days before reaching their full size. While the exact growth rate can vary depending on the specific bamboo species, climate, and growing conditions, even slower-growing varieties will still outpace most trees.

How Is Bamboo Used?

Bamboo is a remarkably versatile plant with a wide range of uses. Some of its common applications include:

• Building material: Bamboo's strength, lightness, and easy workability make it a popular choice for building houses, fences, scaffolding, bridges, and even flooring. It's particularly prevalent in areas where bamboo grows naturally.
• Furniture: Bamboo's natural beauty and durability translate well into furniture like chairs, tables, and even flooring. It offers a sustainable and stylish alternative to traditional materials.
• Food: Young bamboo shoots are a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine, often used in stir-fries, soups, and salads.
• Utensils and tools: From chopsticks to cutting boards, bamboo's smooth surface and lightweight nature make it suitable for various household items.
• Paper: Bamboo has been used for papermaking for centuries, offering a more sustainable alternative to wood pulp.
• Fabrics: Bamboo fibers can be woven into cloth for clothing and other textiles.
• Biofuel: Bamboo can be a source of renewable biofuel.
• Musical instruments: Some traditional instruments, like flutes and clarinets, can be made from bamboo.
• Gardening: Bamboo stakes and fencing are commonly used in gardens.

How To Kill Bamboo?

Bamboo were widely planted on banks and vacant areas to provide dense coverage in times gone by. Unfortunately, the legacy of these clump forming and running shrubs continues as they dominate areas and spread into areas where they are not desired. The challenge then becomes how to get rid of them. Anyone that’s tried to dig out a Bamboo will know how thick and deep the roots are. When you are wanted to eradicate an entire patch of them, the prospect can be quite daunting.

There are three main options to kill Bamboo plants recommended by The Plant Company. The first is to dig them out either with a spade or using an excavator. This does have an instantaneous result but leaves a lot of vegetation to clean up. Some spraying with glyphosate may still be necessary if all the roots were not removed as they emerge again.

The second and third options involves chemical control measures. Entire plants can be sprayed with a mixture of Gallant herbicide, glyphosate, and Wetcit at label rates. It will take about two months for the plants to die completely, and some respraying may be required, though this is rarely needed if the coverage was good at the first spraying.

The third option is to cut the plants back to near soil level, then paint the cut stems with Vigilant Gel herbicide. One application is generally sufficient but keep an eye out for any regeneration and repeat the cutting and treating process if that occurs. This option won’t impact on plants you wish to keep and is well-suited to when you have several plants to kill. Good luck!

How To Tell If A Bamboo Plant Is Mature?

There are a few ways to tell if your Bamboo plant is mature:

1. Younger plants will have thinner stalks (called culms) so compare the size of these to more mature stems. The culms tend not to grow any wider with age.

2. Similar to diameter, culms will also reach their full height quickly and won't grow any taller thereafter. A mature plant will have culms that are close to the maximum height for the species.

3. Some resources suggest that clumping bamboos (the most common type) can take 5-7 years to reach maturity under ideal conditions, while running bamboos can take even longer (10+ years).

Is All Bamboo Safe To Eat?

No, not all bamboo is safe to eat. In fact, most bamboo species are not edible. Consuming the wrong kind can lead to serious health problems, including nausea, vomiting, and even cyanide poisoning. Over 1,500 bamboo species exist and only around 100 are documented as edible. Mistaking an inedible variety for an edible one is easy without proper knowledge. Even within edible species, toxicity can vary with shoots needing specific preparation techniques to remove toxins or bitter compounds. Some species contain cyanogenic glycosides, which release cyanide when ingested, that can be fatal. Therefore, be sure of the species identification before consuming bamboo shoots!

What Are The Benefits Of Growing Bamboo?

Bamboo offers a wide range of advantages, with some very important environmental ones:

Environmental Benefits: - Bamboo is a champion of sustainability. It grows incredibly fast, reaching maturity in just a few years compared to decades for trees. This rapid growth makes it a readily renewable resource. - The extensive root system of bamboo helps prevent soil erosion, which is particularly beneficial on slopes or in areas prone to heavy rainfall. - Bamboo efficiently absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releases oxygen. - Many bamboo varieties thrive with minimal irrigation, making them water-efficient plants, which is especially valuable in dry regions.

Agricultural and Product Benefits: - Bamboo has numerous applications. It can be used for construction materials like flooring, furniture, and panelling. The fibres are used for textiles such as clothing and fabrics. Bamboo shoots are even consumed as food. - Established bamboo requires minimal maintenance compared to many other plants. It doesn't need frequent fertiliser and has little need for pesticides.

Aesthetics and Other Benefits: - Many bamboo varieties have attractive features such as graceful culms (stems) and lush foliage. They are great for adding a touch of beauty to landscapes. - Fast-growing, clumping bamboo varieties can create effective privacy screens or natural hedges.

What Are The Different Types Of Bamboo?

There are two main types of bamboo: running and clumping. Running bamboo spreads aggressively by sending out runners, called rhizomes, which pop up new shoots far away from the parent plant. These can be difficult to control and are not recommended for small gardens. Clumping bamboo, on the other hand, forms a dense clump and doesn't spread aggressively. They are a good choice for small gardens and are much easier to control.

Common varieties of running bamboo include: - Black bamboo Phyllostachys nigra - This variety has black culms (stems) that can grow up to 10 m tall. - Red Margin bamboo (Phyllostachys bambusoides) - This variety has green culms with red margins and can grow up to 15 m tall. - Golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) - This variety has yellow culms and can grow up to 25 m tall.

Some common varieties of clumping bamboo include: - Chinese dwarf bamboo (Bambusa nana) - This is a slow-growing variety that only reaches 1-2 m tall. It is often grown in a container. - Fargesia robusta - This variety is cold-hardy and grows to 3 m tall. - Hare bamboo (Sasa veitchii) - This is a low-growing variety that only reaches 1 m tall.

Other ways to categorize bamboo include: - Giant bamboo - These can grow up to 30 m tall and have very thick culms. They are not suitable for most home gardens. - Timber bamboo - These have strong culms that can be used for construction. - Cold-hardy bamboo - These can tolerate cold temperatures. - Indoor bamboo - There are a few varieties of bamboo that can be grown indoors as houseplants. These are typically clumping varieties that stay relatively small.

What Are The Downside Of Bamboo Plants?

Bamboo plants are known for their fast growth and versatility, but some varieties also have some downsides.

• Some varieties of Bamboo can be invasive and can spread quickly. Once bamboo takes hold, it can be difficult to get rid of. If you live in an area with a warm climate, be sure to choose a non-invasive species of bamboo.
• Bamboo spreads through rhizomes, which are underground stems. This can make it difficult to control their spread.
• Bamboo pollen can trigger allergies in some people.

What Are Three Interesting Facts About Bamboo?

Three interesting facts about Bamboo:

• Fastest-growing plant on Earth: Some bamboo species can grow up to 1 m in a single day! This astonishing growth rate comes from their unique internal structure and efficient photosynthesis process.
• Stronger than steel: Bamboo has tensile strength exceeding that of many steels. This makes it an incredibly versatile material used for everything from construction to furniture and even bicycles.
• Environmental champion: Bamboo is a major player in environmental sustainability. It grows rapidly, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen at a much faster rate than most trees.

What Happens When Bamboo Blooms?

When bamboo blooms, it's a sign of the end for the current generation of plants. At the same time, it is the beginning for a new generation. Bamboo is monocarpic, meaning it flowers only once in its lifetime. This flowering can happen after just a few years for some species, or decades a century later for others. Many bamboo species will flower at once in a synchronized event called gregarious flowering. This can happen over a few years and involve entire bamboo forests. The flowers produce seeds, the plant dies soon after. This can leave behind a large area without bamboo for a while before the new seedlings establish.

What Is The Best Bamboo For A Screen In New Zealand?

There are a few good options for a Bamboo privacy screen. A fast-growing option is Bambusa oldhamii which can reach heights of 6-10 metres in just a few years. Bambusa 'Golden Goddess' is slower growing but will reach 3.5 m tall after 3-5 years (depending on the initial size grade purchased. Bambusa textilis var. gracilis is an even slower growing option with finer foliage that will reach 3 m at about 5 years of age. NB: the growth rates will depend on the climate. That is, in warmer climates such as Auckland, the growth rates are much faster than in cooler regions.

What Makes Bamboo So Strong?

The exceptional strength of Bamboo lies in its unique combination of structural features and material properties:

Fibre structure: Unlike most wood, bamboo fibres run vertically throughout the culm (stem), not horizontally. This longitudinal arrangement creates continuous strands, providing superior tensile strength along the length of the culm. The individual fibres have remarkably thick cell walls compared to wood, which further contributes to the overall strength. The fibres are also tightly packed within the culm, leaving minimal air space and minimising weak points. Between the fibres lies a natural glue-like substance called lignin. Lignin acts as a binding agent, holding the fibres together and further contributing to rigidity.

Material properties: Bamboo has a high strength-to-weight ratio, meaning it's incredibly strong for its weight. This makes it an ideal material for applications where both strength and minimal weight are crucial, like in construction and aerospace. While rigid, bamboo also possesses a degree of flexibility. This allows it to withstand bending and swaying without breaking, unlike many brittle materials.

What Restrictions Are There On Growing Bamboo In NZ?

There are restrictions on growing bamboo in New Zealand, particularly in Auckland. In general, there are no national restrictions on growing bamboo in New Zealand. However, it's important to be aware of the potential for certain bamboo species to become invasive. These invasive varieties can spread quickly and smother native plants. In the Auckland Region, however, there are stricter regulations for bamboo planting such that invasive species are not permitted to be bred, distributed, released, or sold. You can't plant invasive varieties within the Auckland region unless you're moving an existing plant on your property to a new location within the same boundaries. If you have any of these invasive bamboo species planted on your land, you may be required to destroy them by an authorized person if directed to do so.

How to Plant And Grow Bamboo In NZ

Planting Bamboo and getting them to grow well is generally easy when you get a few of the basics right. This involves planting them in the right soil type, choosing the most ideal planting position, selecting the best variety, and ensuring the plants have the essentials to thrive. The Plant Company has the right advice to give you the greatest chance of success when growing Bamboo.

How To Contain A Running Bamboo

If you're planting running bamboo, you'll need a barrier to contain it. This can be a sheet of metal, plastic, or even thick fabric sunk into the ground around the planting area. That will give you as much time as the barrier stops the roots from spreading. You will need to make sure the barrier is down at least 60 cm deep. While Bamboo tend to be shallow rooted, once the roots encounter a restriction, they will penetrate downwards in search of somewhere to escape. Therefore, on sandy soils, the barrier may have to be deeper than 60 cm.

How To Grow Bamboo

Bamboo can be a beautiful addition to your garden, but it's important to choose the right type and plant it carefully. Here's a quick guide to get you started:

• There are two main types of bamboo: clumping and running. Clumping bamboo grows in dense clumps, while running bamboo spreads aggressively through underground rhizomes. Choose a clumping variety if you don't want your bamboo to take over your property.
• Most bamboo prefer full sun or partial shade with a well-drained soil. Avoid constantly wet or heavy soils.
• Planting during autumn, winter, or spring is ideal to allow the roots to establish before summer.
• Place the Bamboo in the hole, backfill with soil, and firm down gently to remove any air pockets.
• Water the plant well after planting and keep up the regime until you see the plant starting to grow.
• Mulch around the tree with bark chips or other organic matter to preserve moisture and supress weeds and consider staking the plant so it doesn’t blow over.

With proper care, your Bamboo will thrive!

How To Grow Bamboo In A Pot

Bamboo look amazing when grown in pots, especially when managed correctly. The most popular varieties for this are Bambusa 'Wang Tsai', Bambusa 'Golden Goddess', Fargesia nitida (Fountain Bamboo), and Bambusa textilis var. gracilis (Fairy Bamboo).

To grow a Bamboo in a pot, choose a pot that is no less than twice the size of what the Bamboo is currently growing in and that has plenty of drainage holes in the bottom. The Plant Company generally recommends a pot that is 600 mm wide and the same deep as the plants will grow quickly and a larger pot gives a more “fuller” display. Fill the bottom of the pot to about 1/3 of the way up with potting mix. Do not use soil or compost when growing plants in a container and do not add fertiliser. The Plant Company potting mix has all the nutrients required to sustain the plant for the next 12 months.

Remove the plant from the container it is growing in by either pulling it free or by cutting the bag. We recommend cutting the bag or container, especially for larger grade plants, to minimise any chance of damaging the roots. If the roots have been growing in a circle or are all bound up you can tease them apart if you want but this is not essential. Similarly, you don’t need to remove any of the growing media. The Plant Company does not recommend cutting the roots, even if the plant is root-bound as this offers no benefit. This is explained in our article, Managing Rootbound Plants. Add more potting mix and firm this around the plant using gentle pressure, then water well. They should be watered twice a week during hot weather and weekly or fortnightly during cooler periods.

The key to having an amazing Bamboo in a pot is to both keep it fed correctly using indoor plant fertiliser and not to over-water it. Over-watering is the most common reason Bamboo fail in a pot.

Of note: When growing Bamboo in a pot, you can grow both clumping and running bamboo as the pot will keep running bamboo from spreading.

How to Propagate Bamboo

Bamboo are most easily propagated by dividing up the plants in autumn, winter, or spring. Simply cut the stems back on a plant to about 20-30 and use a spade to break off a piece of the plant with roots attached. This can be relocated to another space in the garden or potted up. It will grow new shoots in a matter of weeks. Be careful not to allow the plants to dry out.

What Is The Best Season To Plant Bamboo?

The best season to plant Bamboo is anytime during autumn, winter, and spring. This is because the weather is mild and plants can establish before the heat and dry of summer arrives.