Our Favorite Indoor Bamboo

 
                                                                       P. nigra (Black Bamboo) 
 
Click on each name to see more pictures of each species.


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Contact us: 205-686-5728  Cell: 205-292-0536
 
E-mail: roger@lewisbamboo.com


    


The bamboo shown above spend all the Winter months in our home. We
receive hundreds and hundreds of emails and phone call about growing
bamboo in containers. I do understand many of you simply do not have
a large yard or even court yard to grow bamboo in the ground. Land
in Japan has always been in high demand and growing running species,
the number one type for groves. In small areas it has been grown for many
 years. Through research we have found the species best suited for small
 groves and container specimens. The larger the growing area or container
you can provide for bamboo the better it will look and perform. If you
are building a custom container keep in mind that bamboo is a swallow
rooted grass. The width and length should be as large as you can
accommodate and the depth should be around 18 inches. A custom
built container 24 inches wide is great with the length 2 feet and
 longer.

You cannot place an oak tree seedling in a small container and expect
 mature sizes so understand while bamboo is a grass similar results will occur.


It is possible for a 20 to 30 gallon size container to grow a 2 inch diameter
 timber bamboo that will be 18 to 24 feet in height.

A small court yard with 200 square feet can provide plenty of room
 for an in ground planting. In a small area you can grow large diameter
 and heights with proper care.

Top choices for indoor bamboo listed below

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My number one choice for inside container growth.

'Green Onion'

Green Onion  makes a great house plant and can be grown indoors to mature sizes. 

Green Onion is one of the best to grow inside as it does fine with minimum light requirements.

Do not leave your containers of bamboo outside during the winter months and expect it to live.

In cold climate zones you must move the container into a protected warm area during the cold winter months. 

  Green Onion is being grown in containers very well and will reach mature sizes if the container is large enough. The largest I have grown in a 15 gallon container is 8 feet tall and has mature size canes. I always start with a 3 gallon size division and place it in a five gallon plastic pot. After one complete year move to a 10 gallon size. After the third year the bamboo should be placed in a larger pot. I prefer a 15 gallon size for this little bamboo. This allows plenty of growing room and this size still allows you to move it out doors during warm weather. After three years and you have stepped up to the largest container, the bamboo will need dividing every other year to allow for rhizome growth. Bamboo in its natural setting is free to roam finding just the right sun light and soil nutrients to grow to its mature species size. In a container it is not capable of this and will rely solely on your care.


Since bamboo like high ambient moisture levels, daily misting of indoor bamboo is recommended. Place the bamboo where it can get direct natural lighting if possible. Most indoor bamboo cannot retain all their foliage and some leaf drop is to be expected. Use a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Follow fertilizing directions for the size container you have. A good potting soil, such as Miracle Grow, mixed with perlite for drainage works great. Just keep a check on the soil and allow it to dry out a little between watering. Remember what I always say.  Bamboo likes water, but loves drainage.

     

   

  3 gal.  -$75  

 


My number two choice for inside container growth.

Okuboi


 


This hardy bamboo is fast growing and adapts very well to container growth. Under good conditions it will reach 6 to 8 feet in just a 5 gallon size container.  I always start with a 3 gallon size division and place it in a five gallon plastic pot. After one complete year move to a 10 gallon size. After the third year the bamboo should be placed in a larger pot. I prefer a 15 gallon size. This allows plenty of growing room and this size still allows you to move it out doors during warm weather. After three years and you have stepped up to the largest container, the bamboo will need dividing every other year to allow for rhizome growth. 

Since bamboo like high ambient moisture levels, daily misting of indoor bamboo is recommended. Place the bamboo where it can get direct natural lighting if possible. Most indoor bamboo cannot retain all their foliage and some leaf drop is to be expected. Use a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Follow fertilizing directions for the size container you have. A good potting soil, such as Miracle Grow, mixed with perlite for drainage works great. Just keep a check on the soil and allow it to dry out between watering. Remember what I always say.  Bamboo likes water, but loves drainage.

3 gal.  -$40  



My number three choice for inside container growth.

'Arrow'

'ARROW BAMBOO'
is native to South Korea and Japan it has been in America many years.

Arrow bamboo makes one of the best bamboo to grow inside.

In cold climate zones you must move the container into a protected warm area during the cold winter months. 

Arrow is being grown in containers very well and will reach mature sizes if the container is large enough. Throughout the U.S.
it is being grown in several malls and office buildings. The largest I have grown in a 15 gallon container is 12 feet tall and has mature size canes. I always start with a 3 gallon size division and place it in a five gallon plastic pot. After one complete year move to a 10 gallon size. After the third year the bamboo should be placed in a larger pot. I prefer a 15 gallon size. This allows plenty of growing room and this size still allows you to move it out doors during warm weather. After three years and you have stepped up to the largest container, the bamboo will need dividing every other year to allow for rhizome growth.  Bamboo in its natural setting is free to roam finding just the right sun light and soil nutrients to grow to its mature species size. In a container it is not capable of this and will rely solely on your care.


    Since bamboo like high ambient moisture levels, daily misting of indoor bamboo is recommended. Place the bamboo where it can get direct natural lighting if possible. Most indoor bamboo cannot retain all their foliage and some leaf drop is to be expected. Use a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Follow fertilizing directions for the size container you have. A good potting soil, such as Miracle Grow, mixed with perlite for drainage works great. Just keep a check on the soil and allow it to dry out between watering. Remember what I always say.  Bamboo likes water, but loves drainage.



 

  3 gal.  -$45
 





My number four choice for inside container growth.


Tessellatus 

This is one of my top 5 choices for indoor container bamboo. Although this beautiful bamboo usually less than 5 feet in height, it can grow to well over 7 feet. This is the largest leaf bamboo in cultivation with leaves up to 24 inches in length and 4 inches wide. This bamboo, even with its large leaves, adapts well to indoor plantings and loves the shade.

In cold climate zones you must move the container into a protected warm area during the cold winter months. 

  Tessellatus or just call it 'Big Leaf'  is being grown in containers very well and will reach mature sizes if the container is large enough. You can grow this bamboo to mature sizes which will be around 5 to 7 feet in a 15 gallon pot.  I always start with a 3 gallon size division and place it in a five gallon plastic pot. After one complete year move to a 7 gallon size. After the third year the bamboo may need to be divided already or ready for a 10 or 15 gallon size container. This is a fast grower and very easy to divide and create more containers of bamboo for your enjoyment. Bamboo in its natural setting is free to roam finding just the right sun light and soil nutrients to grow to its mature species size. In a container it is not capable of this and will rely solely on your care.


Since bamboo like high ambient moisture levels, daily misting of indoor bamboo is recommended. Place the bamboo where it can get direct natural lighting if possible. Most indoor bamboo cannot retain all their foliage and some leaf drop is to be expected. Use a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Follow fertilizing directions for the size container you have. A good potting soil, such as Miracle Grow, mixed with perlite for drainage works great. Just keep a check on the soil and allow it to dry out between watering. Remember what I always say.  Bamboo likes water, but loves drainage.



     

3 gal.  - $40         




My fifth choice for inside container growth.


Palmata

 Sasa palmata grows to a height of 7 feet with beautiful little 1/2 inch canes. It has large thick leaves that can measure
 up to 15 inches in length and 2 1/2 inches wide. It is one of the species suited for indoor sites since it adapts well to shaded areas.

In cold climate zones you must move the container into a protected warm area during the cold winter months. 

  Palmata is being grown in containers very well and will reach mature sizes if the container is large enough. You can grow this bamboo to mature sizes in a 10 gallon pot.  I always start with a 3 gallon size division and place it in a five gallon plastic pot. After one complete year move to a 7 gallon size. After the third year the bamboo may need to be divided already or ready for a 10 gallon size container. This is a fast grower and very easy to divide and create more containers of bamboo for your enjoyment. Bamboo in its natural setting is free to roam finding just the right sun light and soil nutrients to grow to its mature species size. In a container it is not capable of this and will rely solely on your care.


  Since bamboo like high ambient moisture levels, daily misting of indoor bamboo is recommended. Place the bamboo where it can get direct natural lighting if possible. Most indoor bamboo cannot retain all their foliage and some leaf drop is to be expected. Use a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Follow fertilizing directions for the size container you have. A good potting soil, such as Miracle Grow, mixed with perlite for drainage works great. Just keep a check on the soil and allow it to dry out between watering. Remember what I always say.  Bamboo likes water, but loves drainage.

       

         

3 gal.  -$45  


 

 


My sixth choice for inside container growth.


'Giant Gray'

Phyllostachys nigra Henon 'Giant Gray' culms are gray blue with beautiful dense foliage of green leaves. This graceful giant is a variety of Black bamboo that reaches a height of 65 feet and 4.5 inches in diameter when planted in the ground.
This makes a great house plant in containers but will not reach mature size.

  In cold climate zones you must move the container into a protected warm area during the cold winter months.

Giant Gray is being grown in containers very well. It adapts well to most areas where limited sun light is available. Throughout the U.S. it is being grown in several malls and office buildings. The largest I have grown in a 25 gallon container is 18 feet high. I recommend starting with a 3 gallon size division and placing it in a five gallon plastic pot. After one complete year move to a 10 gallon size. After the third year the bamboo should be placed in a larger pot.  I prefer a 15 to 20 gallon size. This allows plenty of growing room and this size still allows you to move it out doors during warm weather. After three years and you have stepped up to the largest container, the bamboo will need dividing every other year to allow for rhizome growth. Bamboo in its natural setting is free to roam finding just the right sun light and soil nutrients to grow to its mature species size. In a container it is not capable of this and will rely solely on your care.

 
    Since bamboo like high ambient moisture levels, daily misting of indoor bamboo is recommended. Place the bamboo where it can get direct natural lighting if possible. Most indoor bamboo cannot retain all their foliage and some leaf drop is to be expected. Use a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Follow fertilizing directions for the size container you have. A good potting soil, such as Miracle Grow, mixed with perlite for drainage works great. Just keep a check on the soil and allow it to dry out between watering. Remember what I always say.  Bamboo likes water, but loves drainage.

  
 



 




           3 gal. - $75            


My seventh choice for inside container growth.

Red Margin 

Rubromarginata makes a great house plant in containers, of course it will not reach mature size in a container.

 In cold climate zones you must move the container into a protected warm area during the cold winter months.

 Rubro. is fairly easy to grow inside. The largest Rubro. I have grown in a container has been 16 feet high. Start with a 3 gallon size division and place it in a five gallon plastic pot. After one complete year move it to a 10 to 15 gallon size. After the third year the bamboo should be placed in a larger pot. I prefer a 20 to 25 gallon size. This allows plenty of growing room and this size still allows you to move it out doors during warm weather. After three years and you have stepped up to the largest container, the bamboo will need dividing every other year to allow for rhizome growth. Bamboo in its natural setting is free to roam finding just the right sun light and soil nutrients to grow to its mature species size. In a container it is not capable of this and will rely solely on your care.


    Since bamboo like high ambient moisture levels, daily misting of indoor bamboo is recommended. Place the bamboo where it can get direct natural lighting if possible. Most indoor bamboo cannot retain all their foliage and some leaf drop is to be expected. Use a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Follow fertilizing directions for the size container you have. A good potting soil, such as Miracle Grow, mixed with perlite for drainage works great. Just keep a check on the soil and allow it to dry out between watering. Remember what I always say.  Bamboo likes water, but loves drainage.

    




    2 gal. - $40         3 gal.  - $50        



    
My eighth choice for inside container growth.

'Golden'

Phyllostachys aurea 'Golden Bamboo'. This beautiful bamboo for indoor use can be trimmed to
 any height from a couple feet high up to 16 feet. This pruning of the tops to a desired height is only necessary once a year. 
 

In cold climate zones you must move the container into a protected warm area during the cold winter months.
  
     The largest 'Golden' bamboo I have grown in a container has been 16 feet high. Start with a 3 gallon size division and place it in a five gallon plastic pot. After one complete year move it to a 10 gallon size. After the third year the bamboo should be placed in a larger pot. I prefer a 15 to 25 gallon size. This allows plenty of growing room and this size still allows you to move it out doors during warm weather. After three years and you have stepped up to the largest container, the bamboo will need dividing every other year to allow for rhizome growth. 
Bamboo in its natural setting is free to roam finding just the right sun light and soil nutrients to grow to its mature species size. In a container it is not capable of this and will rely solely on your care.

     Since bamboo like high ambient moisture levels, daily misting of indoor bamboo is recommended. Place the bamboo where it can get direct natural lighting if possible. Most indoor bamboo cannot retain all their foliage and some leaf drop is to be expected. Use a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Follow fertilizing directions for the size container you have. A good potting soil, such as Miracle Grow, mixed with perlite for drainage works great. Just keep a check on the soil and allow it to dry out between watering. Remember what I always say.  Bamboo likes water, but loves drainage

    

         3  gal. - $40       


  
 
 
 

 
 
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E-mail: roger@lewisbamboo.com


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