Phyllostachys decora – Beautiful Bamboo

General Information: In China, this species of running Bamboo is referred to as “Beautiful Bamboo” for the strongly upright culms (canes) with drooping foliage. Culms turn orange-yellow when exposed to the sun. Creates a dense and beautiful canopy that is attractive to birds. Shoots are edible and rated good to excellent in quality. Wood is considered good quality and suitable in northern regions for plant stakes and fencing. Reported to grow in the US as large as 35 feet tall with 1½ inch diameter culms. A rugged species known to be especially resistant to drought, temperature extremes, and precipitation extremes. This species has now been through several winters in our outdoor test plantings and has shown very good cold hardiness. In these winters, we experienced lows of -8° F along with extended periods of bitterly cold, windy weather with wind chill as low as -15°F. In a location sheltered from the wind, Phyllostachys decora suffered only minor leaf injury. In a more exposed location there was more leaf injury, but essentially no injury to the wood (culms and branches). Those plants with damaged leaves produced a fresh flush of new leaf growth by late May.

Cultivation Details: Running Bamboo such as this species can be aggressive and form large colonies. Consider installing a rhizome barrier, berm, trench, or adopting a strict mowing plan to limit the spread of this species. Beautiful Bamboo is reported to reach full size (up to 30 feet) quite quickly in warm climates. Our plantings are about 15 feet tall. Growers in Zones 6 and 7 can expect fully mature canes to reach 15-20 feet. We have observed this species as being the most densely growing of the Phyllostachys Bamboos, with our test patches having anywhere from 3-5 canes per square foot! Grows well in sandy soil. Reported to do well in the Intermountain West region of the US.

Growing Requirements: Plant in full to part sun. Plants in part sun tend to not grow as tall or develop golden-yellow coloration. Prefers moist, well-drained soils. Tolerant of most soil types. Uniquely tolerant of sandy soil and drier conditions compared to other Phyllostachys species. In these drier regions, apply a deep layer of organic mulch and water regularly for the first year.

Note: For quantity or wholesale pricing, if you need to schedule a delivery, or if you wish to pick up plants at the farm, e-mail us at: Info@tripplebrookfarm.com. Whenever possible, it is preferable to pick up plants here at the farm so we can dig huskier root balls.

Fun Facts: Recent research has reclassified this Bamboo as a subspecies of Mann’s Bamboo, Phyllostachys mannii ‘Decora’.