Lewis Bamboo
Golden Goddess
- Perfect for areas with limited planting space
- Good choice for container planting
- Minimal spread
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Characteristics of Bambusa multiplex 'Golden Goddess'
Bambusa 'Golden Goddess' is a popular, clumping bamboo variety known for its striking appearance and manageable size, making it a favorite among homeowners and landscapers. Originating from China, this bamboo variety is characterized by its compact growth habit, versatility, and ornamental beauty.
Key Features:
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Size: Typically growing to heights between 10 to 12 feet (though it can occasionally reach up to 15 feet), the 'Golden Goddess' bamboo is relatively smaller compared to other bamboo species. This makes it a suitable choice for gardens or spaces with size constraints.
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Foliage: Its slender, feathery leaves are vibrant green in color, creating a dense and lush screen when grown in clusters. This foliage provides a soft, elegant backdrop in gardens and landscapes.
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Culms: The bamboo culms (or stems) showcase a rich, golden-yellow hue, lending to the name 'Golden Goddess'. These culms are typically slender and closely spaced, adding to the plant's dense appearance.
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Growth Habit: As a clumping bamboo, the 'Golden Goddess' has a non-invasive root system. This means that it grows in tight clusters and doesn't spread aggressively like running bamboo varieties. It's an ideal choice for homeowners who want the beauty of bamboo without the worry of it taking over their yard.
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Versatility: Whether you're aiming for a solitary ornamental specimen, a privacy hedge, or a serene backdrop for a zen garden, 'Golden Goddess' can be the perfect fit. Its relatively slow growth rate and manageable size make it a low-maintenance choice for various landscape needs.
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Hardiness: This bamboo variety is quite hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about 18°F (-7°C). It's best suited for USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11.
Care and Maintenance: Like most bamboos, the 'Golden Goddess' prefers well-draining soil and regular watering, especially during its early growth stages. It enjoys full to partial sunlight, but in extremely hot climates, some afternoon shade can be beneficial. Regular pruning can help maintain its shape and height, ensuring that it remains an attractive feature in any setting.
In conclusion, Bambusa 'Golden Goddess' is a captivating bamboo variety that blends ornamental charm with practicality. It offers an easy way to introduce an exotic, tropical flair to a variety of landscapes without the challenges often associated with larger, more invasive bamboo species.
How Bamboo Grows
Bamboo grows a little different than most plants. The bamboo that you get initially never grows vertically again. It has babies that are taller, that has babies that are taller. Every generation should be taller that the previous year's shoots. The intriguing aspect is that each year’s growth emerges and grows to it complete height in 60-90 days. They spread as they produce larger growth, filling in and providing a screen.
This link will help you learn how bamboo grows. It will give you an idea of what kind of growth to expect from your planting. It is a lot of information, but well worth your time. How Bamboo Grows
Planting Instructions
Planting bamboo is also easy. You want to dig a hole about twice the size of the root ball. When you plant the bamboo amend your soil with composted manure and a good top soil. Bamboo can be planted at ground level or slightly deeper. It is not a picky about it conditions but this will help get it off to a good start.
More details can be found on our Planting Instruction Page
Spacing between plants
One division of bamboo will start a grove or screen over time. However, if you want a privacy screen fast, we recommend planting bamboo 3 to 5 feet apart. This will hopefully allow you to have a good screen in three years. There are a lot of factors such as water, sunlight, and climate zones that speeds up or slows down the process. Three years is about the average on this spacing, closer planting will allow you to screen or develop your grove faster. You cannot over plant bamboo.
Maintenance
Fertilizing
Bamboo can benefit from a fertilization program. You can safely fertilize your bamboo once it has been in the ground for one month. A time release fertilizer will work great. Time release fertilizers allow for proper absorption in case your soil is out of PH balance. We offer some fertilizer to help with growth. We fertilize twice a year. Once in the early spring to encourage new growth and then again during the middle of the grow season to replace any nutrients that are being depleted. Click here to see our recommended fertilizer: Our Fertilizers
Control
Over the years a lot of myths have been told about bamboo, while it can spread under good conditions, it is not as invasive as many people would have you believe. In colder climates an aggressive runner here in the south will hardy spread at all in comparison. We have been growing bamboo since 1985 and had experience with it long before that. The bamboo's underground root system (rhizome) will spread beyond the initial planting over the years, so in the next two or three years you will need to decide on some method of containment on the sides you do not want the rhizomes to run over into.
We have constructed a page discussing multiple methods of controlling bamboo. It goes over root pruning, mowing new shoots, and in ground barriers: Controlling Bamboo
All this said and it may discourage you, but as with any plant there will be maintenance. Bamboo is very beautiful and is great in a Japanese style garden, but it will need maintenance down the road. At first it may seem to be doing nothing, but after 3 to 5 years you will have a lot of beautiful culms (canes) and love the foliage. All our 150 plus species simply contained by mowing and weed eating the new Spring and Summer shoots. Hopes this helps and don't be afraid of the bamboo.