Kew: Plants: Bamboos: Hardy Bamboos

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Sasa ramosa in the Bamboo Garden at Kew

Hardy Bamboos

You can see an extensive collection of hardy bamboos in Kew's Bamboo Garden

The many species of hardy bamboos currently in cultivation come from the temperate regions of Asia and South America. They are evergreen, although some may lose their foliage in very cold winters and need a position that is protected from north and easterly winds. They require an open peaty soil, abundant moisture and plenty of humus applied as a top dressing in spring. Species for the average sized garden should be chosen carefully as a few are rampant and invasive.

The main genera are:

Arundinaria Stems rounded, branches in loose clusters
Chusquea Stems rounded, solid; short branches in dense clusters
Phyllostachys Stems flattened on one side, branches in pairs
Sasa Stems rounded, branches solitary