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Chimonobambusa quadrangularis 'Svow'
This is an attractive and very rare form of the Chinese 'Square Stem Bamboo' producing soft yellow culms with occasional vertical green stripes. Like the ordinary green form, this requires a sheltered and preferably shaded position, not in very cold gardens. Very elegant foliage on stems to 3m, and an inquisitive rhizome, but not difficult to control.
Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda
Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda
An unusual and amazing bamboo with swollen nodes on the culms, used to make the famous Chinese walking sticks. Particularly elegant and distinct narrow foliage on graceful arching culms to 2-3m. Running habit easily controlled - great in a pot. Gorgeous, one of my favourites, and probably the most elegant of all bamboos. At it's best in semi-shade.
Chusquea gigantea
Chusquea gigantea
The holy grail to many lovers of bamboo. This very large growing Andean species creates an awe inspiringly impressive clump of widely spaced thick culms extremely quickly. Culms are green, turning yellow between the nodes which are prominently branched. New culms have attractive, persistent cream sheaths, and the leaves are long and narrow. Height 6m.
Drepanostachyum scandens
As the name suggests, this very rare species has fairly lax culms that branch widely, climbing or rather falling over other plants for support. If grown alone it will form an attractive frothy mound of fine foliage reaching the ground on all sides. It hails from low altitudes in S China and in theory should not be very hardy, possibly -5c? Sun or semi-shade.
Fargesia murielae 'Simba'
Fargesia murielae 'Simba'
A fairly dwarf form of this fine species, making a very dense bushy specimen to only 2m tall. Equally easy in most soils and situations, and very suited to pot culture. The bright green leaves emerge early when other bamboos can look a bit drab. Very hardy and easy.
Fargesia robusta
Fargesia robusta
A superb, relatively recent introduction, which lives up to its name well. Red-tinted, hairy shoots are seen very early in spring, emerging from a tight, non-running base and growth is vertical and strong, with a dazzling display of bleached white culm sheaths all the way up the culms in midsummer. Foliage is deep glossy green, long and slim. Height 4 or 5m.
Fargesia robusta 'Campbell'
The most compact clone of this superb species. Red-tinted, hairy shoots are seen very early in spring, emerging from a tight, non-running base and growth is vertical and strong, with a dazzling display of bleached white culm sheaths all the way up the culms in midsummer. Foliage is deep glossy green, long and slim. Height 4m. Looks great even after severe cold.
Fargesia rufa
Fargesia rufa
Fairly new, this very beautiful clump forming species has great potential in small gardens, either in the ground or in a pot. Culm sheaths and branches tinted with rusty orange-red, and narrow, glossy, rich green foliage on thin, densely set culms all add up to a distinctive, refined look. Up to about 2m, though often a bit smaller, especially in a pot. V.V. nice.
Fargesia scabrida
Fargesia scabrida
This is yet another fabulous species new to cultivation in the West. The colouring on the new shoots on this beauty is quite remarkable, with pale burnt-orange culm sheaths contrasting magnificently with the violet-blue fresh culms. Foliage is elegant glossy-green, long and slim. Non-running but very vigorously makes a clump about 3m high. Superb.
Fargesia sp. Jiuzhaigou 1
Fargesia sp. Jiuzhaigou 1
Collected 1986 from N Sichuan, China. Originally thought to be F. nitida, but now considered a different species. Erect growth to about 2.5m with new culms aging to a lovely deep red, and very pretty, tiny leaves arranged in small, downward pointing bunches. Very hardy and tightly clump forming. Enjoys shade though stands full sun too.
Fargesia sp. Jiuzhaigou 2 (new)
Up to 4m high, this is one of the largest forms of this beautiful small leaved species. Similar to Jiuzhaigou 1 in many other respects, but with slightly larger culms that are less tightly packed into the clump, giving a slightly more open effect. Very hardy and unlikely to flower for a very long time.
Fargesia sp. Jiuzhaigou 4
A new introduction from China, with slim culms maturing black. Tightly clump forming, making a dense mass of slim culms with fine, delicate looking leaves and a height of about 2.5m. Very hardy, this won't flower for a very, very long time, ensuring survival in your garden. Enjoys shade though stands full sun too.
Fargesia sp. Jiuzhaigou Genf
A new introduction from China with intensely red culms if grown in a bright position. Tightly clump forming, making a dense mass of slim culms with fine, very slim, delicate looking leaves and a height of potentially 3.5m; the tallest of the Jiuzhaigou forms. Very hardy, this won't flower and die for a very, very long time! Enjoys shade though stands full sun too.
Indocalamus tessellatus
A semi-dwarf species only reaching 1m, but has the largest leaves of any bamboo that we grow in the UK, reaching a maximum of 60cm long, creating quite a tropical effect. The thin culms bend under the weight of foliage creating a leafy mound. For a large leaf bamboo this is slow to spread and very manageable.
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis'
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis'
Widely available and deservedly so, this is a very colourful and hardy plant with a mass of strongly upright, golden-yellow culms that have an alternating green groove, and occasionally have a zigzag base. The culms temporarily blush red on the sunny side, and the foliage is rich green. Makes a loose clump, with occasional runners, to about 4.5m. Best in sun.
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Holochrysa'
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Holochrysa'
Almost the most richly yellow coloured bamboo, with culms maturing to deep golden yellow with sparse branching allowing the colour to be seen, and contrasting well with the deep green glossy foliage. Strong upright growth to a maximum of 5m and a loosely clump forming habit. Best in full sun, hardy and strikingly beautiful.
Phyllostachys nigra
Phyllostachys nigra
'Black Bamboo'. Hardly needs an introduction; the unique and well known favourite, making a gracefully arching upright clump to about 3m high. Culms often green in their first year, becoming jet black. Not overly vigorous for a Phyllostachys with limited spread at the root; easy to control. Loves sun, heat and rain. Perfectly hardy.
Phyllostachys nigra 'Boryana'
Phyllostachys nigra 'Boryana'
Much bigger than the normal 'Black Bamboo', this form develops into a huge upright specimen to about 6m, with thick green culms splashed with large dark brown blotches in their second year. Sounds strange but is in fact very attractive. Hardy and vigorous, making quite a clump in time. An excellent specimen plant. Best in full sun.
Semiarundinaria yashadake kimmei
Semiarundinaria yashadake kimmei
Quite distinct and very ornamental, having masses of slim, yellow culms with green stripes contrasting with quite large glossy foliage. The upright culms only reach about 2.5m, very different from most other yellow stemmed bamboos, and can blush red in strong light. Very hardy and tolerant of both sun and shade, it will quickly form a good clump.
Thamnocalamus crassinodus 'Kew Beauty'
Thamnocalamus crassinodus 'Kew Beauty'
A real gem and one of my favourite bamboos. Billowing masses of exquisite tiny leaves on upright culms that emerge with a blue-grey bloom and turn deep-red with good light. Very tightly clump forming with a height of about 4m. Best with some shade, especially in hot dry areas. Hardy to about -15c. Very beautiful and highly recommended by me.
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