Characteristics
| Hardiness zone | 8a |
|---|---|
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | towering |
| Mature height | 50 feet |
| Spread | 8 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
Giant Timber Bamboo
Botanical name: Bambusa oldhamii
A very tall variety, with canes that gracefully arch outwards; a loose clumper producing large blue-green culms; an excellent screen or landscape accent.
Other names: Oldham’s Bamboo
Ornamental Features
Giant Timber Bamboo's attractive large narrow compound leaves remain green in color throughout the year. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant. The bluish-green stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.
Landscape Attributes
Giant Timber Bamboo is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a rigidly upright and towering form. 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.
Giant Timber Bamboo is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, Hedges/Screening, Windbreaks and Shelterbelts, Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens, Container Planting
Planting and Growing
Giant Timber Bamboo will grow to be about 50 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 8 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 species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.
Giant Timber Bamboo is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base 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.
