Plant profile
Clumping bamboo
Bambusa spp. and related clumping bamboos
Also known as Bamboo.
Clumping bamboo can make a fast, dense screen in a warm garden. Choose a genuinely clumping species and check its mature height and width before planting, because some types become very large even though they do not send running rhizomes across the garden.
- Grows well in
- Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate, Cool / mountains
- Lifecycle
- Evergreen perennial clumping grass
- Light
- Full sun, Part shade
- Mature size
- Highly variable by species: compact clumpers may stay around 3–5 m tall, while large types can reach 10–15 m or more.
- Spacing
- Spacing depends strongly on the species and intended screen. Allow roughly the mature clump width; many garden screening types are planted about 1–3 m apart.
- Growth habit
- Evergreen woody grass producing upright canes from short rhizomes that expand gradually outward as a clump rather than sending long running rhizomes.
- Native range
- Varies by genus and species; most garden clumping bamboos come from tropical and subtropical Asia, with others from Africa and the Americas
- Natural habitat
- Forest, forest margins, river valleys and mountain slopes, depending on species.
When to plant
Tropical
February–October
Subtropical
February–October
Temperate
August–April
Cool / mountain
September–March
Planting
Choose a true clumping bamboo suited to your climate and mature size. Plant into well-drained soil with enough room for the final width of the clump.
Position and light
Full sun to part shade, depending on species.
Soil
Humus-rich, well-drained soil with regular moisture.
Watering
Water new plants regularly while they establish. Established bamboo grows best with steady moisture during warm growth.
Feeding
Feed established clumps during warm active growth with a balanced fertiliser.
Pruning
Remove dead, old or overcrowded culms at ground level.
Harvest
Mature culms can be cut for stakes or garden construction where suitable.
Propagation
Clumping bamboo is usually propagated by division.
Common problems
Running bamboo planted by mistake can be difficult to control. Poor drainage and congestion can also cause problems.
Safety notes
Confirm the species before planting because running bamboo has a very different growth habit and needs a different management approach.
Worth knowing
Make sure you are buying a genuinely clumping bamboo rather than a running Phyllostachys type. Clumpers are much easier to contain, and unwanted new canes around the edge can be removed to control the clump's width. Australia has a native clumping bamboo, Bambusa arnhemica, in the Northern Territory, but most garden clumping bamboos sold around Australia are introduced species or cultivars. Each new culm reaches close to its final height in one growing season, then hardens rather than getting taller year after year. Removing unwanted culms at ground level is cleaner than repeatedly shortening them.
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