It wasn’t too long ago that most Americans thought of Bamboo as merely a snack for pandas. A lot has changed in the last twenty to thirty years. Now, you see bamboo in your clothing, as well as your flooring, cabinets, and kitchen tools, you’re aware that it is a great way to build homes, provides 35% more oxygen than an equivalent timber forest, never needs to be replanted, provides food, and the list just continues to grow.
With all the benefits of bamboo, have you ever considered growing your own little bamboo forest? Like managing any kind of forest or even small patch of land, you can do your part to improve the air quality, provide a simple screen-shade for your yard, or just enjoy the beauty of a fresh new plant growth at your home.
Okay, so I do want to point something out here. Contrary to popular belief, the “lucky bamboo” is not bamboo at all. In fact, while attractive and Feng Shui lucky, this plant is actually related to the lily family. So, if your growing lucky bamboo, instead of bamboo, take note.
Where can you grow bamboo in the United States?
With nearly 1,500 species of bamboo, depending on the species you want to grow the plant is found nearly everywhere in the planet. Some species can survive winter weather to as cold as -20-degrees F, while most species you are likely accustomed to grow in temperate to tropical zones such as Southeast Asia, South America and the Southeastern U.S. Essentially, with a little research you can find a great species to grow at home, in fact, many gardens in states such as Minnesota and Wisconsin (known for harsh winters) commonly have patches of bamboo as a garden staple.
Bamboo growing conditions
With so many species, a common theme you’ll find regarding bamboo is: Just find the right species of bamboo for your growing zone. While this is very true, there are some commonalities when it comes to bamboo growing conditions.
The first thing to mention, is that bamboo plants are tough and can tolerate a little neglect. That’s not to say you can just plant and then head off to Europe for two-weeks, but you don’t have to tend to bamboo as you would other plants.
Soil may not be a big concern either as it appears that bamboo can be planted in several different types of soil, although a harder soil such as clay may hold the bamboo at bay, in regards to expanding their own growth area–we’ll talk about this later. For some people, this might actually be a benefit.
Watering is important for bamboo, especially in the first weeks after planting, but it is also important to mention that as the plant grows bamboo may not tolerate poorly drained soil. So, when you are dealing with heavier soils it is important to incorporate gravel, grit or other material that will open up the soil and help prevent waterlogging.
Running vs, Clumping bamboo
The first thing you need to know about bamboo before you buy for planting is the difference between running or clumping bamboo. To understand this difference you need to look to rhizomes which are modified stems that run horizontally underground and new roots from their nodes. These new roots grow both downward and upward, storing essential nutrients for the plant as well as providing new reproductive growth. If you’re a gardener, you’ll know this process as an “invasive” plant such as Horsetails and Poison Ivy.
Bamboo has both running species, which you can consider invasive, and clumping. Due to the fast growth of bamboo – up to three feet in a day – you can imagine why a running plant can cause concern. Although, there are ways to keep even running species at bay to protect your yard, outbuildings and other areas. Still, if you just don’t want to deal with a running species you can opt for clumping bamboo such as:
• Fargesia ‘Rufa’
• Fargesia nitida
• Fargesia robusta
Many people prefer the running species of bamboo due to its strong growth, height and attractiveness. But, the concern over invasiveness is a real one and precautions should be made as these plants will grow fast. Like any invasive species of plant, even if you dig it up, you may not have dug it all up. There are several suggestions on how to prevent the invasive growth, but the one I’ve found that’s most practical is putting in an underground fence – a bamboo barrier – that is about 36” deep surrounding the area that you would like to keep the plant limited to.
A few running varieties you might want to consider are:
Qiongzhuea tumidissinoda
Arundinaria gigantea
Semiarundinaria fastuosa
Planting bamboo

Spring is the time to plant bamboo as you will be able to provide the plant with a full growing season to “plant its roots” so to speak. In warmer, moisture rich areas you give the plant a good full season to grow and “grab the soil” and in temperate and colder regions you provide the plant strength to prepare for the winter months.
Taking into consideration the preparation you’ll need to control your bamboo from running, the next place to go is your local nursery. Most bamboo you find in the nursery has rooted itself fully in their pots – go figure. Once cutting the “rootball” from the pot you’ll want to soak the roots in water for at least twenty minutes prior to planting.
The next step is to dig a hole about twice as wide in diameter as the rootball and about one and a half times as deep. While bamboo does well in most soils and may not need additional fertilizer, you are welcome to add organic fertilizer or manure to help build a strong plant.
After being planted it is important to water the plant well. In fact, it’s important to keep the plant well-watered for the first couple years after planting. Keeping the area around the plant well-mulched is also helpful as the mulch will help retain water in the soil. Although, if you don’t mulch the area, bamboo will eventually provide its own leaf mulch as it sheds its leaves.
After planting
Bamboo is relatively self-sufficient after planting, and this is especially so if you plant the right species in the right conditions and live in a moisture rich growing zone.
Pruning is one of the best ways to bring out the strength of your bamboo and keep it healthy. Bamboo won’t be affected by pests as it has a natural insecticide, so you will rarely have to worry about a diseased or dying plant. However, by pruning you can both show off the beauty of the plants stem as well as the young and attractive culms. When pruning, you are looking for the weak, damaged or older culms which can be identified by their yellowing or brownish color. In addition, you can remove the lower level branches.

While there are a lot of considerations when you first decide to grow your patch or small forest of bamboo, the efforts and research are well worth the time. Online research and working with your local nursery are important in learning more about growing bamboo and the benefits.