Bambusa chungii

Description

Species: Bambusa chungii

Common names: Tropical Blue Bamboo / Emperor’s Blue Bamboo / White Bamboo

Clumper or Runner: Clumper — non-invasive, open clumping bamboo.

Height / diameter / Internode: 8 – 12 m, occasionally up to 18 m / 3 – 7 cm / 30 – 45 cm, occasionally longer. Published botanical descriptions list culms around 5–10 m, occasionally 18 m, with 30–50 mm culms and internodes 30–45 cm, occasionally up to 100 cm.

Color / Leaf length / Branch: Powdery blue-white young culms, maturing green with a pale white bloom / narrow green leaves / branches higher up with a clean lower culm appearance. It is especially valued for its attractive blue-white culm bloom.

Potted/Garden/Commercial: Garden, estate, landscape, privacy screen, ornamental feature, windbreak, craft use. Better for larger gardens or open landscapes than small suburban beds because the mature clump can become broad.

Minimum Temperatures / Climate: Approximately −4°C to −6°C / tropical to subtropical, warm temperate in protected positions. Some nursery sources list around −4°C, while other grower references suggest occasional tolerance close to −6°C, but young shoots should be protected from frost.

Water needed yearly / Altitude / soil / pH: Medium to high water requirement / best in warm, humid, sheltered areas / well-drained sandy, loamy or clay soils / mildly acidic to mildly alkaline pH. It prefers moist soil and grows in sun to semi-shade.

Uses: Premium ornamental bamboo, privacy screening, living fence, windbreak, feature planting, garden landscaping, basketry, weaving, craft material and paper production. The long internodes and attractive culms make it especially useful as a decorative bamboo and for light craft applications.