Vivax Bamboo will get very large very quickly. So if you're looking for big bamboo fast, this is the bamboo for you. Vivax is a very cold hardy giant bamboo similar in appearance to Japanese Timber Bamboo. Vivax has very large leaves with deep green colors. The culm (cane) sheaths are creamy buff color with brown spotting. Canes are typically 5-6 inches in width when mature.

Phyllostachys Vivax 'Aureocaulis' which is similar to Vivax has canes that are bright yellow with random green stripes (second photo). This is a rare species and is truly a sight to behold.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Phyllostachys
Species: Vivax
Cultivar: None Identified

Alphonse Karr is a green striped yellow bamboo that forms dense large clumps. New shoots are often tinted pink or red when exposed to high sunlight. This bamboo makes a great potted container plant, especially in colder climates. It, like other forms of Bambusa multiplex, are among the best bamboos for a well lit area indoors. Bambusa generally grow a very tight cluster of canes, and 'Alphonse Karr' is no exception, making it an excellent choice for a privacy screen where a clumping bamboo is desired. Typical diameter is 1.5 inches in width.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Bambusa
Species: Multiplex
Cultivar: 'Alphonse Karr'

Japanese Timber Bamboo, aka Madake, has very thick walls making it one of the best bamboo species for timber. This is a true giant, reaching up to 60+ feet in height and 5"+ in diameter. Can be slow to mature.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Phyllostachys
Species: Bambusoides
Cultivar: None Identified

This aptly named form of "Yellow Groove Bamboo" is both rare and beautiful. Its colors are reversed from the species, i.e., it has bright yellow culms with a green sulcus. It is the hardiest bamboo with yellow and green striped color pattern. Like the other forms of the species, this bamboo makes an excellent hedge or screen due to its fast, upright growth. When grown in a sunny location, the new culms have a spectacular red highlight in the spring and early summer. Typical diameter is about 2" wide.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Phyllostachys
Species: Aureosulcata
Cultivar: 'Spectabilis'

One of the most interesting color variations, the culms are green at first becoming yellow with a green sulcus after a few months. Meaning that it has a patterned striping that alternated sides up and down the cane. The yellow parts of the culm are sometimes tinted with a rose highlight in bright sun. It also has an occasional leaf variegation. Typical diameter is about 1.25 inches.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Phyllostachys
Species: aurea
Cultivar: 'Koi'

Nuda is one of the hardiest bamboos. New culms emerge purplish green, eventually lightening to match the leaf color. It has dark green culms with a bright white ring at the node. The leaves are also darker than most other bamboos. This is a running bamboo, so take precautions for restraint; read our blog entry on controlling bamboo. Though it is reluctant to spread into very dry soils, it is resistant to some drought. Typical diameter is about 1-2" wide.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Phyllostachys
Species: Nuda
Cultivar: None Identified

This is one of the most ideal bamboo available. It is drought tolerant and adapts to almost all planting sites. Some call it "bullet-proof" bamboo because of how tough it is. The canes emerge green and turn a beautiful gray. The distinctive looking culms are gray-blue or whitish green, rough to the touch with beautiful dense foliage of green leaves. Climate Zone 7 and above expect mature size canes to be over 60 feet in height. Climate Zone 6 expect mature size canes to be over 40 feet in height. Many call this the 'Mother Form' of Nigra. Its moderately thick culm walls allow it to withstand our winter storms with very little breakage. Typical diameter is about 2-4 inches wide.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Phyllostachys
Species: Nigra
Cultivar: Henon

Phyllostachys nigra, a native of China, is one of the most popular choices of ornamental bamboo in both the United States and Asia. The culms start out green in color, eventually becoming completely black - making for a great backdrop to all that green foliage in the garden. Plants look good growing with shrubs, particularly evergreens in a large border or foliage garden, but can also be grown as a single clump in a lawn. The dark culms contrast with the light green leaves, making this species especially eye catching in the garden. The canes typically reach a width of about 2" when mature.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Phyllostachys
Species: Nigra
Cultivar: None Identified

Fishpole bamboo is one of the most common bamboos in the United States. Growing rigidly upright, this bamboo is one of the best for hedges and for planting next to driveways and walkways. It often has a series of distorted internodes at the base of the cane, sometimes called "Tortoise Shell" internodes, that are quite ornamental and make this plant useful for craft work. Culm color of the species type is green. Like other Phyllostachys, when exposed to strong direct sunlight, the canes will fade to yellow with age. Phyllostachys aurea can be an aggressive spreader in hot climates, where care must be used in its placement. Typical diameter is about 1.25 inches.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Phyllostachys
Species: aurea
Cultivar: None Identified