Bamboo ID

ontopofthehill · October 2022

Hello! Anyone happen to know what type of bamboo this is? It was here when we moved in but buried behind a pile of brambles. Since we cut those back it's got a bit more enthusiastic so now I'm worried it's a runner rather than a clumper. It seems partially black rather than the classic black bamboo, but I haven't a clue about bamboo so perhaps it's just been stunted by the brambles for years. Any suggestions much appreciated! If it is a runner will prob need to get rid of it, have enough invasive stuff to deal with in that corner already.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/1w/0g5vgsy0qfy4.jpg

Plantminded · October 2022

It could be Fargesia nitida black pearl, based on the cane colour and width and leafiness. If so, it’s a clumping bamboo. I have two different Fargesia species in my garden, they look similar with different coloured canes and are quite slow growing and well contained. The canes look too slim to be the typical black bamboo, Phyllostachys nigra which is non-clumping.

ontopofthehill · October 2022

Amazing, thank you @Plantminded! This forum always comes through when you need it. Am very glad to hear that, we've nothing but enormous weeds either side of it at the moment but I like it a lot and didnt fancy adding to the endless digging if I didn't need to. Much appreciated.

LunarSea · October 2022

Plantminded said:

The canes look too slim to be the typical black bamboo, Phyllostachys nigra which is non-clumping.

Did you not mean it is clump-forming @Plantminded? We've got two clumps of P.nigra and it runs very little.

This is an extract from Gardener's World's page:

"Although it’s clump-forming and therefore one of the less invasive types of bamboo, you may want to take precautions to restrict its spread, such as planting in a large container or limiting its roots with a non-perishable barrier."

Desi_in_London · October 2022

@LunarSea , while I don't wish to argue with whoever authored that gardenersworld article , all phyllostachys are running bamboos ( leptomorphs, monopodial). Some are more aggressive runners than others in the UK climate , and my understanding is that the nigra is not especially aggressive in tendency and easy to control ( relatively) in the Uk. Clumping bamboos are sympodial / pachymorphs and as far as i know none of the phyllostachys are in that category.

Plantminded · October 2022

Hello @LunarSea, no, I meant it is non-clump forming, or a running bamboo, as well explained above. I do grow several Phyllostachys varieties in my garden but in confined spaces with rigid borders or a known seam of sandstone not far beneath the clump. I keep a close eye on them and prune out nearly 50% of the canes each year as stronger or better coloured canes appear. Occasionally I have found a determined runner aiming to exploit new grounds but have removed it quickly! I suspect that you probably don't have the sort of conditions where you are which would encourage a non-clumping bamboo to go mad, but they all have the genetic programming to run and form a grove if conditions allow!

LunarSea · October 2022

I stand corrected guys

As you say maybe I've been lucky. The only time it's ever thrown a runner out (rather than just expanding the clump, which is now 2 metres wide) I dug it up and potted it. After a year expanding in the pot I planted it back in the garden and it is now bulking up really well.

Our soil is clay but I have them both planted where I've raised the level of the garden a couple of feet using poor quality topsoil I had delivered.

As mentioned elsewhere, our main problem is the House Sparrows which pick off the leaf buds and leave the canes part denuded and rather messy.

Bamboo ID

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