Planting Bamboo for Privacy
Clumping bamboo from Palmco can be used in landscaping in many different ways. Planting it can help you define separate spaces on a large property and will create privacy and beauty within a few growing seasons.
Palmco is Florida’s premier grower of top quality non-invasive clumping bamboo. We are one of the largest palm and bamboo plantations in North America and offer breathtaking tropical and subtropical bamboo to customers across the Southeastern United States.
Aside from beauty, one of the most desirable features of clumping bamboo is that it is non-invasive. The plants have a unique root structure that creates a tight cluster of culms, so they won’t run rampant in all directions like running bamboos and won’t spread horizontally more than a few inches a year. They are easy to maintain, eco-friendly and grow very much like shrubs.
Not only do clumping bamboos make beautiful specimen plants, but they are the fastest-growing plants you can choose for windbreaks, privacy screens and noise and dust barriers. Here are three popular varieties to consider when your client’s landscape calls for a privacy screen:
Alphonse Karr Bamboo
Alphonse Karr (Bambusa multiplex ‘Alphonse Karr’) is a dense bamboo from China’s Yangtze Valley that grows to 20 to 25 feet. It features 1- inch diameter bright yellow culms with random dark green stripes and is one of the best hedge or privacy screen bamboos.
When planting Alphonse Karr, the recommended spacing should be between 6 to 10 feet, as the plants will grow into one another. The bamboo enjoys full sun to partial shade, has low water requirements, and is easy to trim and maintain. Once established, it can tolerate cold weather as low as 15°F to 18°F, but it thrives in hot climates.
Golden Goddess Bamboo
The well-behaved Golden Goddess (Bambusa multiplex ‘Golden Goddess’) is one of the smaller clumping bamboo varieties, reaching only about 10 to 12 feet in height. The semi-dwarf bamboo creates a beautiful privacy hedge when planted four to eight feet apart and is a popular choice for containers on the patio and around the pool.
Golden Goddess has very small, delicate leaves and densely packed 1/4-inch canes that become golden with age and sun exposure. It fills in quickly, creating a beautiful hedge in about six months and a privacy wall within a year. It is very cold hardy down to 15°F to 18°F and extremely drought tolerant once established.
Graceful Bamboo
As the name suggests, Graceful Bamboo (Bambusa textilis gracilis), also called Slender Weavers, is graceful, luxuriant and one of our favorite bamboos. It has few lower branches on mature culms, so its attractive 1-inch diameter canes can be easily seen without having to prune the plant.
Graceful Bamboo has an upright growth pattern that makes it an excellent choice for narrow spaces and smaller yards. It is a very fast growing and well-behaved bamboo that can reach heights up to 25 feet tall within 2 to 3 years.
If you are planting bamboo for privacy, we encourage you to tour our plantation in Bokeelia, Florida to see the different varieties of clumping bamboo plants we grow. Palmco produces only the healthiest, strongest palms and bamboos for the wholesale market. Call us today at (239) 283-1329. We look forward to working with you!
