Why Bamboo Plants

Bamboo is a woody perennial evergreen plant. Although it can grow to towering heights, bamboo is considered a grass, not a tree. Approximately 1500 different species of bamboo exist that are native to every continent except Europe. As the fastest growing plant on earth, it can grow more than 45 inches in just a day. Bamboo grows to different heights, starting from dwarf and one foot plants to giant timber bamboos, which are capable of growing over 100 feet.

Bamboo is an excellent choice for environmentally conscious individuals looking to reduce their carbon footprint; a grove of bamboo releases 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees. 

Running vs. Clumping Bamboo

Bamboo is classified by its root system. There are two basic types: running bamboo and clumping bamboo.

Clumping bamboos are easily contained. They have a very short root structure. Clumping bamboos are incapable of expanding more than few inches a year and will generally form discrete, compact, circular clumps. The clumps slowly enlarge as new clumps emerge every year, but may ultimately expand to anywhere from a 3 to 10 ft. diameter (or more, especially for taller types) in order to reach their mature height, depending on species. Clumping bamboo can grow densely and is a good choice for privacy screens.

Running bamboo can be difficult to control. It can sprout new shoots from the ground a distance away from the plant equal to its height. That is, a five foot bamboo plant may sprout a new shoot five feet away. Running bamboo can spread up to several yards during a growing season.

New Shoots grows only clumping bamboo varieties.

Choosing the right bamboo

When landscaping with bamboo plants, you need to consider which type will best meet your needs. Bamboo plants have different uses – you may want to display a bamboo plant in your house, create a bamboo garden or complement existing landscaping. The New Shoots team can recommend a type of bamboo that will help you achieve your goal.

Because of their eye-catching and highly colored appearance, ornamental bamboo may be the best choice for creating a focal point in a garden landscape.

Several species of bamboo grow very thick – these screening bamboos, as the name implies, make them appropriate for creating a privacy or sound barrier.

Tropical or sub-tropical bamboo is suitable for warm climates, although some sub-tropical species can tolerate freezing temperatures for short periods of time.