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Please send information on bamboo plantings in Northern Utah to Gretchen Campbell gcampbell@thanksgivingpoint.org telephone number 801 768 7443.
Summary
Bamboos are true grasses, and include the largest grasses on earth. Giant bamboos may reach 80 feet while dwarf and pigmy bamboos make small shrubs or hedges and even tall groundcovers. Worldwide, bamboo is of great economic, cultural and even culinary value. This bulletin is limited to their ornamental uses in Utah. While most bamboos require heat to flourish, many bamboos are cold tolerant to below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
Plant Description
The genus Bambusa is made up of 100-120 species. Bambusa has short running rhizomes and tends to be less invasive than other genera. Bamboos, in all some 70 genera have approximately 1450 species of which about 47 are native to the western hemisphere. Bamboos can be classified as either ‘clumping' (sympodial) or ‘running' (monopodial). Both spread by rhizomes but with running types, the rhizomes ‘travel' a farther distance before sending up new shoots (culms). Clumping types usually send up shoots within inches from the main clump.
Clumping types may be less invasive, but always plant those with the idea that both will continue to form ever expanding clumps. Generally, both types do well in pots and grow fastest when crowded. Bamboos need heat but many will survive Utah winters. Running types tend to be hardy, many to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Chusquea, Fargesia, Indocalamus, Phyllostachys and Sasa are in this group.
Clumping types, with few exceptions, are ‘semi' hardy' to ‘tender' with most needing minimum temperatures above 15 degrees and some to 20-32 degrees. Regardless of the species, temperatures below -10 will likely kill bamboo and prolonged periods below freezing can cause damage.
Propagation by division is best done just before new growth starts. The best times are late winter/early spring for the more hardy types or mid to late spring for the more tropical ones.
Planting bamboo grown in containers can be done anytime. Regardless of the species they prefer a longer growing season. Some bamboos suffer ‘top-kill' in cold weather but will grow back. This does affect maximum height.
