China Gold Bamboo

China Gold Bamboo (Bambusa eutuldoides 'Viridi-vittata') is the clumping bamboo to choose when you want a tall screen and coloured canes rather than plain green. It reaches about 7m tall in a clump around 2.5m wide, with golden yellow culms finely striped in green. Because it clumps rather than runs, the roots stay where you put them, safe beside paving and pools.

Why you'll love it

• Clumping, not running. The root run stays in a tight clump, so it will not send shoots under a fence or lift paving.
• Golden canes are the feature. Mature culms colour to a warm gold with fine green striping, so the plant is worth looking at, not just looking through.
• Height fast, in a narrow strip. Around 7m in a clump only 2.5m across, a screen no shrub can match in the same width.
• Poolside proven and pet friendly. Non invasive roots, wind tolerance for an open backyard, and not toxic to cats or dogs.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1.5m apart. The clumps merge into a continuous wall within two to three seasons while each still has room to expand. For a thicker barrier, hold that spacing in a double staggered row.

Poolside planting. Set clumps 1.5m apart along the fence side of a pool surround, a metre back from the coping.

Feature clumps and pots. A single clump makes a strong vertical accent. In a pot 600mm or wider it stays nearer 3m to 4m.

Growing China Gold Bamboo in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun brings out the strongest cane colour, though part shade is accepted with softer growth. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so hard frosting inland and southern gardens want a frost hardy screen.

Soil. Rich, free draining and reasonably deep. Work compost through the bed, because bamboo is a heavy feeder. Mulch 75mm deep over the clump to keep surface roots cool.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers, since establishing bamboo is thirsty. Feed a high nitrogen fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer, which drives new cane height.

Pruning. Do not shear the top unless you want a flat cut line, because a cut cane never regrows its tip. Thin the clump each spring instead, taking the oldest and thinnest canes out at ground level.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes: 300mm pots sold individually, and 200mm pots in packs of six for a full screen. Neither arrives at mature height, which is normal for bamboo. A 300mm plant is typically a young clump of a few thin canes.

Expect roughly 1m to 2m of new cane height a year once established, in surges each spring and summer, with the first proper gold on second and third year culms. Plants travel upright, 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

• Read our guide to using bamboo for screening.
• Compare varieties in the full bamboo range.
• See other options for poolside gardens.
• Browse alternatives among screening plants that reach 4m to 8m.

Common questions

Will it spread through my garden?

No. This is a clumping bamboo, so new canes emerge at the edge of an expanding clump rather than running underground. A mature clump sits around 2.5m across, and annual thinning keeps it there.

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One and a half metres apart. Closer planting does not produce a screen faster, it just crowds the clumps so the inner canes stay thin.

Can I keep it shorter than 7m?

Only to a point. Cutting a cane removes its tip permanently, so height control means topping and accepting the cut line, or removing tall old canes each year.