Plants
Bamboo
Fargesia & Phyllostachys · Poaceae
Bamboo is the fastest privacy screen you can plant: evergreen, elegantly rustling and fully winter-hardy in the mild Rhineland. But let us say it right at the start, because we have seen it often enough in Düsseldorf gardens: planting a running bamboo without a rhizome barrier means planting yourself a problem. With the right species — or the right barrier — bamboo is one of the most rewarding garden plants there is.
- Light
- Sunny to partially shaded; the brighter, the denser the growth.
- Watering
- High — bamboo is a thirsty grass and instantly signals drought with curled leaves.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Fargesia & Phyllostachys
Botanically, bamboo is a giant grass — and the genus decides everything. Fargesia (umbrella bamboo) grows in clumps like an ornamental grass: it stays compactly in place, needs no rhizome barrier and is therefore our clear recommendation for most gardens. Phyllostachys, on the other hand, sends out underground runners metres long that resurface under paths, lawns and even under the neighbour's terrace.
If it must be Phyllostachys — say, for the thicker, yellow or black canes — there is no way around a professional rhizome barrier: an HDPE sheet at least 2 mm thick, dug in as a ring around 65 cm deep, protruding a few centimetres above ground and closed with a bolted aluminium rail. Pond liner or single concrete slabs will not stop the vigorous rhizomes — that is not theory but experience.
As a privacy screen, bamboo is unbeatably fast: Fargesia varieties such as ‚Rufa‘ or ‚Jumbo‘ reach 2.5 to 3.5 metres and are fully opaque after two or three years. Unlike a clipped hedge, bamboo stays loose and mobile — the soft rustling in the wind is the real reason many people plant it.
In winter, bamboo stays green and easily tolerates double-digit sub-zero temperatures in the Lower Rhine climate. Curled leaves are not frost damage but protection against evaporation — and in dry soil simply the signal that the plant needs water. Bamboo also works well in containers; there, please wrap the pot in winter fleece.
Is Bamboo toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Non-toxic
- Cats
- Non-toxic
- Dogs
- Non-toxic
True garden bamboo (Fargesia, Phyllostachys) is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and children. Do not confuse it with “lucky bamboo” from the houseplant shelf — botanically a Dracaena and toxic to pets.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Plant in sun to partial shade, sheltered from wind; Fargesia tolerates more shade than Phyllostachys.
- 02With Phyllostachys, a rhizome barrier is mandatory (HDPE, 2 mm, approx. 65 cm deep, closed with a rail) — Fargesia needs none.
- 03Water generously and regularly, in containers too: curled leaves are bamboo's thirst signal.
- 04Thin out old, weak canes at ground level in spring — shortened canes do not grow taller again.
- 05No winter protection needed in beds; water on frost-free days during dry frost spells, wrap containers in fleece.
Frequently asked
- Do I always need a rhizome barrier for bamboo?
- No — but you must know the genus. Clump-forming umbrella bamboo (Fargesia) stays put and needs no barrier. Running bamboo (Phyllostachys) absolutely does: an HDPE sheet, at least 2 mm thick, about 65 cm deep and closed with an aluminium rail. Without it, it wanders into lawns, beds and neighbouring gardens.
- Which bamboo works as a risk-free privacy screen?
- Fargesia varieties such as ‚Rufa‘, ‚Jumbo‘ or ‚Campbell‘ are our recommendation: clump-forming, evergreen, 2.5 to 3.5 metres tall and fully hardy in the Rhineland. After two to three years they are completely opaque — no rhizome barrier needed.
- Why is my bamboo curling its leaves?
- Curled leaves are protection against evaporation — the bamboo is thirsty. This happens in high summer just as with frozen ground in winter. Water thoroughly (on frost-free days in winter) and the leaves usually unfurl within hours.
- Is bamboo toxic to dogs or cats?
- No, true garden bamboo is non-toxic — nibbled leaves are harmless for cats and dogs. Just beware of the mix-up: so-called lucky bamboo is a Dracaena and toxic to pets.