Goldstripe Bamboo

Goldstripe Bamboo (Bambusa multiplex 'Goldstripe') gives you 5m of height on a clump only 2m across. The culms are green striped with gold, carrying fine foliage that filters light rather than blocking it outright. It is a clumping bamboo, not a running type, so it stays where you plant it without a root barrier. Planted 1m apart it closes into a tall screen in two to three seasons.

Why you'll love it

• It clumps, it does not run. The rhizomes stay in a tight crown instead of travelling under fences and paving.
• Height with almost no footprint. Around 5m tall on a 2m wide clump, narrower than any tree of the same height.
• Fast to fill in. Each new culm comes up close to full height in a single season, so the screen builds quickly.
• A wide climate range. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, humidity tolerant and wind tolerant, from tropical gardens through to cool temperate ones.
• Pet friendly and undemanding. Not toxic to cats or dogs, and beyond one annual thin it asks for very little.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1m apart in a single row along the fence line. That spacing lets each clump reach full width while the canopies overlap above head height, which is where screening actually counts.

Hedging. Topped at 3m and thinned yearly it makes a formal green wall with a texture nothing else matches.

Pots and containers. A pot 500mm wide or more holds it to about 2.5m to 3m, which suits a balcony or courtyard. Potted bamboo dries out fast.

Growing Goldstripe Bamboo in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. Sun brings out the gold striping; shade keeps the culms greener and the clump looser. Tropical and subtropical gardens grow it almost year round, while in cool temperate districts growth pauses over winter. It is frost hardy once established, though a young clump appreciates shelter in its first winter.

Soil. Any reasonable soil with drainage. Dig the bed wide rather than deep, work compost through it, and mulch 75mm thick.

Water and feed. Bamboo is thirsty while establishing. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then reduce. Feed a high nitrogen fertiliser in early spring and again mid summer, since leaf growth is what you are paying for.

Pruning. Once a year in late winter, cut the oldest and thinnest culms out at ground level. Strip the lower side branches to 1.5m for a clean stemmed look.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold in 200mm packs of six, 250mm packs of three, 300mm pots, 45L and 500mm. The 200mm and 250mm packs are the sensible way to buy a long fence line: young plants that catch up quickly. The 45L and 500mm stock arrives as an established multi culm clump with real presence on day one.

Bamboo travels well, though some leaf drop and a few browned tips after transit are normal and grow out. The first season goes into roots, so the tall culms come in year two. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Using bamboo for fast, low fuss screening
• Browse the full bamboo range
• Compare clumping bamboo for screens
• More plants safe around cats and dogs

Common questions

Will it spread into my neighbour's yard?

No. This is a clumping bamboo, so the rhizomes stay in a crown that widens slowly to about 2m and then holds. Running bamboos are the ones that need barriers, and this is not one of them.

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One metre apart in a single row. Closer planting crowds the clumps and makes thinning awkward later without closing the screen any sooner.

Can I keep it shorter than 5m?

Yes. A culm reaches its full height in one season and then stops extending, so topping it at 3m holds it there permanently. Thin the old culms each year to keep the clump looking fresh.