I purchased this bamboo from Raintree Nursery in March 1998 and initially planted it out in a shadier area bordered by a wooded greenbelt.  Although quite robust and prolific in the number of shoots produced, it was mostly clumping in habit, and the initial growth was bushy and splayed.  Also, in this shadier site, sooty mold from aphids was a problem, as well as some vole damage (field mice have only been a problem with bamboos adjacent to the native green belt). 

In 2001, I divided the main plant into 4 large propagations and planted them in a sunny location in the front of the yard in an irrigated, 35’ x 20’ berm created with native silty loam and 12” composted horse manure.  By summer 2003, the transplants produced culms in the 15’-20’ range, and rhizomes that ran several feet from the main plants. Sooty mold continued to be a problem in the new location.  I have seen plantings where aphids are not a problem, however.

In spring 2004, I removed this bamboo from the berm in order to resolve issues with my homeowners association regarding “hedge height”.  I potted up many large propagations, most of which exfoliated as a result of the process.  Over summer 2004, the divisions all sent up many new shoots, however, and most of the branchlets produced leaves anew.    

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