Black bamboo

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; provide afternoon shade in hot, dry climates and shelter from strong, drying winds.

Water

Keep evenly moist, particularly during establishment and shoot growth. Water deeply during dry spells; containers need more frequent watering.

Soil

Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Avoid waterlogged ground and very dry, shallow soils.

Height

15-30 ft (4.5-9 m)

Spread

10-15 ft (3-4.5 m) initially; an uncontained colony can spread much farther.

Foliage

Evergreen. Narrow, pointed green leaves on fine branches above upright, jointed canes. Leaves may scorch or drop in severe cold or drought.

Growth

Fast once established; new canes reach their full height in one growing season.

Care needed

High

• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   2.7 ft (0.81 m)

2. After 1 year

   15 ft (4.5 m)

3. After 2 years

   22 ft (6.8 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Invasive in

the US, the UK and Australia

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Install a purpose-made bamboo rhizome barrier before planting, following its depth and jointing instructions and leaving the upper edge exposed.
• Inspect the entire barrier perimeter at least twice a year and cut out escaping rhizomes promptly.
• Water deeply during dry weather, especially while new shoots are extending.
• Apply a balanced fertiliser in spring; avoid heavy feeding late in the growing season.
• Mulch with compost or leaf mould, keeping the barrier edge visible.
• Use a large, frost-resistant container with drainage if planting above ground; divide or repot before it becomes tightly root-bound.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, cut dead, damaged and selected older canes at ground level to thin the stand. Remove lower side branches sparingly to reveal the black canes; a shortened cane will not regain its original height.

Late winter

Remove dead or damaged canes and thin crowded growth before new shoots appear.

Spring

Apply balanced fertiliser and refresh the organic mulch.

Spring

Inspect containment and remove unwanted shoots outside the planting area.

Summer

Water during dry spells and check container plants frequently.

Autumn

Inspect the barrier again and sever any rhizomes crossing its upper edge.

Winter

Check container drainage and water during frost-free dry periods.

• A contained screen along a boundary where its full height and maintenance access can be accommodated.
• An architectural specimen against a pale wall that shows off the dark canes.
• A large container in a sheltered courtyard, with space for regular watering and repotting.
• A backdrop to Japanese maples, ferns and broad-leaved shade plants for contrasting textures.

Garden styles it suits: Japanese, Zen dry garden, Architectural minimal, Modern courtyard, Japandi and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Japanese maple, Hosta, Japanese painted fern, Soft shield fern, Lilyturf and Japanese forest grass.

Wildlife: Dense foliage provides shelter for small birds and invertebrates. It offers little nectar or pollen in ordinary garden use and should not replace locally native habitat planting.

• Escaping rhizomes: cut and excavate runners beyond the barrier; repeatedly remove regrowth and repair containment.
• Brown leaf tips or curled leaves from drought and wind: check soil moisture, water deeply and improve shelter.
• Bamboo mites causing pale stippling or blotches: inspect leaf undersides, remove heavily affected foliage and use a locally approved mite treatment if necessary.
• Flowering followed by weakening or death: some plants have flowered in recent years; maintain normal watering, watch for recovery and replace plants that die.

True black bamboo is not known to be toxic to cats, dogs or horses. Mature leaves and canes are not known to be poisonous to people, but raw young shoots can contain cyanogenic compounds and should not be eaten raw; do not treat garden shoots as ready-to-eat food.

Where it spreads. A running bamboo that can spread aggressively in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic United States, the UK and temperate parts of Australia. It can escape gardens and form dense stands; check local planting restrictions and contain it even where it is not officially listed as invasive.

• Golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea)

  Canes remain green to yellow rather than turning black; mature canes often have crowded, shortened joints near the base.

• Black-stemmed clumping bamboo (Bambusa lako)

  Forms a tight clump rather than sending out long running rhizomes and needs a much warmer, largely frost-free climate.

• Fountain bamboo (Fargesia nitida)

  Forms a compact clump with finer, more arching canes that may be purple but do not develop the same thick, glossy black appearance.

Phyllostachys refers to the leafy appearance of the flower clusters, while nigra means black, describing the mature canes.

Propagation. Divide an established clump in spring, taking a substantial section of rooted rhizome with several canes. Replant promptly, water thoroughly and protect the division from drying winds.

Accepted botanical name

Phyllostachys nigra

Native range

China South-Central and China Southeast.

Measured

Average height 600 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.