Hardiness zones
Sunset 6-9, 12-24
USDA 8 - 11

Landscape Use: Restricted planter beds, container plants, mesic landscape designs, water gardens, background, wall screen, ground cover, foliar accent

Form & Character: Evergreen, oriental, tropical, erect

Growth Habit: Perennial, woody, culm - a fully preformed stem, emerges from the ground and gives rise to clumps or spreading via underground rhizome, sometimes arborescent (tree-like) or rarely woody climbers; blades flat, usually with a petiole-like base, articulated with the sheath.

Foliage/Texture: Sessile, sheathed, lanceolate leaves, on green stems that sometimes bear spines, variable, can be variegated or multi-colored, fine to coarse texture

Flowers & Fruits: Flowers, fruit are inconspicuous

Seasonal Color: None

Temperature: Heat sensitive, especially when young. Plant on north sides of buildings for heat protection

Light: Shade to sun in Phoenix. No reflected sunlight

Soil: Tolerant

Watering: Regular

Pruning: Restrict root spread with root barriers of concrete borders

Propagation: Division of clumps in spring

Disease and pests: Spider mites

Additional comments: Incredibly diverse and complex genus of over 100 species of perennial grasses from subtropical and tropical regions of Asia and the N. and S. America. Bamboo Will penetrate asphalt. Bambusa olhamii can be grown in southwestern landscapes using drip irrigation to control spread.