Bamboo

How to choose bamboo for screening

Match the mature height to what you need to hide, because bamboo will get there whether you want it to or not. For a 2m to 3m courtyard or fence line screen, Chinese Dwarf is the pick, dense to the ground and easily kept tidy. Goldstripe and Malay Dwarf sit in the middle at 3m to 5m. Slender Weavers (Bambusa textilis 'Gracilis') is the one most Australians plant: upright canes to 6m or 8m in a tight clump about a metre wide, ideal for blocking a two storey neighbour. Above that, Timor Black brings glossy near black canes to 10m and Giant Timber Bamboo goes taller again, both as much feature as screen.

Clumping, not running

The horror stories about bamboo through the veggie patch and under the neighbour's slab belong to running species, which we do not sell. Clumping bamboos expand from a central root mass a few centimetres a year and stop at a footprint of roughly 1m to 2m, so they are safe alongside paths, pools and fences. Allow that mature width when you plant, and keep the clump 50cm or more off a boundary so you can trim behind it.

Where bamboo grows well

Most of this range comes from the tropics and subtropics, so growth is fastest from Sydney north along the coast, in Darwin and in warm parts of Perth. In Melbourne and Adelaide, Slender Weavers and Chinese Dwarf still perform in a sheltered spot, though winter slows them and heavy frost burns young foliage. Nepalese Blue is the cool climate exception, happy in southern gardens. Bamboo is thirsty while establishing but surprisingly drought tolerant once the clump matures.

Planting and care

Space plants 1m to 1.5m apart for a continuous screen: a 10m fence takes 7 to 10 plants. Dig in compost, water in well, then water deeply two or three times a week through the first summer. Feed generously, as bamboo is a grass: lawn fertiliser or a nitrogen rich blend in spring and midsummer visibly speeds the screen. Expect useful privacy in 12 to 18 months from 200mm stock and a full screen by year two, faster from the advanced sizes. Thin old canes at the base every year or two to keep the clump fresh. For alternatives, compare the full hedging and screening range and our other fast growing plants.

Common questions

How fast will I get privacy?

Bamboo is among the quickest screens sold. From 200mm pots, most clumping varieties reach 3m to 4m within 18 months in warm climates. Advanced 45L stock often screens in its first season.

Can I grow bamboo in pots or troughs?

Yes. Chinese Dwarf and Slender Weavers handle life in large troughs of 100L or more with premium mix, daily summer water and regular feeding. Expect reduced height, roughly two thirds of in ground size, and refresh the mix every few years.

Will it drop much litter near a pool?

Bamboo sheds leaves year round, more in dry spells. It is fine beside pools thanks to its contained roots, but position the clump downwind of the water if you can, and skim more often in late winter when leaf drop peaks.