Phyllostachys vivax

Description

Phyllostachys vivax is a striking bamboo, with culms reaching 8 or more metres high often 7cm diameter a mature plant is an impressive sight readily creating a bamboo grove. With deep green culms fading to paler green complemented with lush deep green relatively long leaves Phyllostachys vivax looks exactly like the large timber bamboo typically seen in Asia and the tropics differing only by being totally hardy here in the British isles.

Phyllostachys vivax is best planted in a position of full sun to dappled shade in fertile moisture retentive but not waterlogged soil most importantly allowing space for it to grow into a magnificent specimen. In time it should be expected to develop in a grove formation often large enough to walk through the plant amongst to giant culms. As with all giant timber bamboo like to thin my plants each year by completely removing old or thinner culms by sawing off at the base maintaining an open airy appearance. There is definitely something magical about walking through a mature bamboo plant, especially in a U.K garden resembling something you would find in the wilds of China or Japan.

As with all giant timber bamboo consider wisely when planting as these bamboos can and will spread, they are not what I’d class as a truly running bamboo just very big spreading plants so ideally consider a root barrier or some means of controlling them from visiting parts of the garden, you’d really rather they didn’t.