Clumping Bamboo

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

12 - 14 Feet

Mature Spread

3-5 Feet

Growing Zones

6 to 8

Clumping Bamboo is a striking perennial that is all about color and foliage. The Bamboo fargesia Scabrida produces culms with vibrant orange and red sheaths in the spring. The sheaths open to display blue and lavender culms that eventually fade to a lovely olive hue as the plant matures. The culms feature deep green foliage, giving this decorative bamboo a lush and graceful appearance. 

Bamboo is an upright plant that adds greenery and texture to a landscape. The leafy culms can be used to create a unique hedge, shield a patio, or as a specimen or focal point. Grow this variety in a container to add greenery to a porch or create a movable privacy screen. Bamboo fargesia Scabrida is a vigorous grower, and the canes can reach 12 to 14 feet tall. This plant will spread out through rhizomes in the ground, but it spreads out much more slowly than it grows upward. Clumping bamboo is non-invasive and low maintenance. This plant is deer resistant, and it grows as a perennial in USDA zones 6 through 8.

Clumping Bamboo Care

Water Clumping Bamboo once a week for the first year, but be ready to water more often during a drought. This plant has medium water needs, and it does not like to dry out, but it does not want to be soggy either. The plant will seldom need water once it is established. Bamboo can live in most soil types, but the soil must promote drainage. Clumping bamboo is shade-loving, so plant in an area with partial shade.

Fertilize the plant twice a year using balanced, slow-release plant food. Apply the first dose of fertilizer in the spring and the second during midsummer. Cut back dead growth and shoots that will appear on the sides. You can maintain the height or shape by trimming the canes to the desired size. Existing canes will not continue to grow once cut.

Clumping Bamboo Spacing

Clumping Bamboo is a tall plant that can reach 12 to 14 feet tall, so find a shady spot to accommodate a large plant. This plant will spread 3 to 5 feet. Space plants 3 to 5 feet apart to create a hedge or screen. Grow one plant in a 3-foot long container.