BambooI’m quite the fan of bamboo. It’s incredible stuff. Bamboos are the fastest growing woody plants in the world. One of the more common bamboos (Gigantea) has a tensile strength twice that of steel. Different species are used in construction, ornamental, for medicine, for food, for torture – unbelievably useful. I also love how the wind sounds blowing through it.

I’m trying to do some research into non-running bamboos, a.k.a. sympodial varieties, to provide some shelter. That seems to be the main purpose for growing bamboo in NZ. I’ll be able to use stems as garden stakes, maybe for some building projects and if I get the right variety, to put in my sushi.

Clumping bamboos generally grow slower then the running-type, a.k.a. monopodial varieties. New shoots only develop close to older stems, mainly in autumn, but twice annually in rich soil. They harden over winter and put on leaf growth in spring and summer.

Non-running bamboos (Clumping or sympodial species) available in New Zealand after the jump

Non-running bamboos (Clumping or sympodial species) available in New Zealand

  • Dendrocalamus latiflorus 12m x 75mm, stiff and straight. One of the tallest non-running available in N. Deep green. Sub-tropical requiring warmth, not for windy sites.
  • Bambuseae albo-striata 6m x 20mm. Green with vertical cream stripes. May flower a little. Popular screen bamboo.
  • Bambuseae multiplex 4m x 12mm. Olivey-green with dense long bushy branches. Hardier to wind, cold and damper soils.
  • Bambuseae oldhami 9m x 45mm. Dark green. Excellent shelter (most popular in NZ). Long-lived. Highly-disease resistant and doesn’t harbour pests.Not for heavy frost or poor soil or dry, windy sites.
  • Bambuseae pervariabilis 7m x 25mm. Green with occasional vertical stripes. Drought resistant and stronger then average wood.
  • Bambuseae textilis 7m x 20mm Powdery green, erect and very dense. Makes an attractive screen. Tolerates 10degreesC frosts.

Anything to add to the list? Please let us know in the comments.

4 replies
  1. Scott Ian Freedman
    Scott Ian Freedman says:

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