Characteristics
| Hardiness zone | 7a |
|---|---|
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | arching |
| Mature height | 10 feet |
| Spread | 10 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
Fernleaf Bamboo
Botanical name: Bambusa multiplex ‘Fernleaf’
A striking bamboo with very small leaves on slender culms, making it perfectly suited for privacy screens; a great choice for smaller landscapes because of its compact size and clumping habit; ideal for containers and well lit indoor enviroments.
Other names: Hedge Bamboo, Clumping Bamboo
Ornamental Features
Fernleaf Bamboo's attractive small narrow compound leaves emerge yellow in spring, turning green in color the rest of the year. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant. The green stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.
Landscape Attributes
Fernleaf Bamboo is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a shapely form and gracefully arching stalks. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Fernleaf Bamboo is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, Hedges/Screening, General Garden Use, Container Planting
Planting and Growing
Fernleaf Bamboo will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.
This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Fernleaf Bamboo is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
