Lewis
Bamboo
Inc.
1-877-RZN-CANE
|
Runners or Clumpers, No Contest
As we have already stated, if running bamboo were going to take over the world,
it would have done so thousands of years ago. There are running species
(temperate cold hardy, Leptomorph) of bamboo which we love and there are
clumping (Pachymorph) species. We dislike the clumping species and specialize in
cold hardy runners. We currently grow 152 different species of which around
twenty are clumping species. I have never been impressed with their looks or
growth rate.
I do have some nice Bambusa multiplex varieties that have finally reached 8 to
12 feet in height. For many years they were top killed each winter, but finally
have the root structure now to remain evergreen. They were planted in 1995 if
that gives you an idea of how fast a subtropical clumper grows in zone 7.
- Running bamboo can
provide a serene privacy screen or a
beautiful bamboo grove to walk through. Runners with easy maintenance
can make a dense natural screen.
- Clumpers
for
screening purposes leave a lot to be desired as they are narrow at the
base and weep over at the tops leaving huge gaps between each bamboo
plantings. Below are photos of clumping bamboo planted in zone 8 during
the early 1950's.
- There is a running
species for most all climate zones.
From the cold of climate Zone 5 to the warmth of the tropics, there is
a running species suited for all applications.
- Clumpers are very limited to the
areas they can grow.
- The cold hardy clumping
species ( mostly mountain
bamboo)
are very limited in the climate zones they can live in. They take years
to reach 8 to 12 feet in mature heights. In climate zones 6 and warmer,
clumping species struggle to survive and usually die due to the summer
heat and
humidity. You can waste money just as Roger Sr. did years ago when
he tried to grow many different clumping species. In cold climate zone
5, they will do fine if you
desire a
slow growing bamboo that matures at 8 to 12 feet in height. For
screening purposes they leave a lot to desire as they are narrow at the
base and weep over at the tops leaving huge gaps between each bamboo
plantings. We sold hardy clumpers for a while and our customers were
not happy, so we stopped dealing with clumpers because of their poor
growth performance.
- Tropical
clumpers
can only be grown in very warm
climate zones such
as zone 8 and 9. The tropical clumpers are giants and can grow very
fast like running bamboo. The problem is the limited climate zones and
the spacing of the canes within the clumper. The spaces between the
culms (canes) are so close most
specimens are very unsightly due to the large amount of dead canes and
limbs in the interior of the clump. These dense dead canes and limbs
cannot be reached unless some
of the outside canes are cut away first. The tropical clumpers I have
seen in my travels have been poorly maintained and are unsightly giving
bamboo a bad image. Even
a well
kept botanical
garden such as Fairchild Botanical Gardens in Miami, FL which we
visited in 2003 for a bamboo meeting, had thousands of unsightly dead
canes in their clumping bamboo. A grove of running bamboo is
unparalleled in my book and we have seen thousands of groves over the
past 50 plus years.
 |
 |
| This is an example of Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse
Karr' in climate zone 7. It generally comes back in the Spring if the
winter is not too severe. Most of the U.S. is in a climate zone 7 or
colder, so you can expect similar to worse results. The green bamboo in
the background is temperate running bamboo. If you desire an evergreen
privacy screen, running bamboo is the best option. |
- Control of running
bamboo is simple and there are
numerous methods
which we have listed on our web site. Mowing your lawn as always
along with root pruning twice a year around the desired grove perimeter
are the most common methods. There is also the in ground barrier containment method.
- Control of
clumping bamboo is almost impossible. It is
not as aggressive, but is forceful about where it wants to grow.
In ground root barriers will not hold back a large clumping bamboo. It
is not possible to root prune a clumping species to control it. Running
bamboo follow the path of least resistance and change
directions when they become impeded. Clumpers are persistent and will
force their way through obstacles in their outwardly spiraling root
path. Never plant a clumping species right next to a foundation or
concrete driveway.
We
hope to help you find the right bamboo
species
for your needs and location.
Bamboo
truly has something to offer all gardeners and plant collectors.
Back to
Bamboo Basics
Back to
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact us:
205-686-5728 Cell:
205-292-0536
E-mail roger@lewisbamboo.com
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Bamboo, Inc. is protected under copywriter's
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U.S. Code
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2002-2009 Lewis Bamboo. All rights reserved.
