Other Names:  Waya Bamboo, form. Dendrocalamus membranaceus

Description:

A moderate-sized strong bamboo forming loose clumps; grows gracefully erect, producing lovely fine green foliage; culms covered in a powdery white scurf when young but mature to green; perfect for the garden, along walkways, or as screening

Ornamental Features

White Bamboo's attractive narrow pinnately compound leaves remain green in color throughout the year on a plant with a towering habit of growth. The green stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

White Bamboo is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a rigidly upright and towering form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

White Bamboo is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Windbreaks and Shelterbelts
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

White Bamboo will grow to be about 35 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

White Bamboo is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.