Bamboo how much sun

Lucky bamboo, a water lily that looks very much like bamboo, can survive for very long periods of time indoors. However, lucky bamboo is not bamboo.

True bamboo is a tall forest grass that can sometimes reach over feet tall. Because bamboo grows naturally under a protective forest cover, different species have different tolerances for sun. Shorter species may be less tolerant, while taller species may do well.

Other considerations for sun tolerance are local climate. In very dry areas, for example, bamboo may be more tolerant of sun than in a moist climate.

According to the University of Maryland, bamboo that does well in sun or shade may do better in shade during hot, dry summers. Consider where you will plant the bamboo when selecting a variety. Although bamboo can be very tolerant of lighting conditions, some varieties do better in certain specific lighting conditions. Young plants and plants that have recently been transplanted or repotted cannot tolerate as much sun as mature plants.

In desert conditions with very hot midday temperatures, even mature bamboo may suffer. Shade young plants and recent transplants with lath or shade-cloth. Do Bamboo Plants Need Sun? Share article on Facebook Share article on Pinterest.

You may also like. Growing Bamboo Plants Outdoors. What Plants are Like Bamboo? Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 11, needs partial to full sun. Similarly, Mexican weeping bamboo Otatea acuminata aztecorum also requires partial to full sunlight. Thriving in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, Mexican weeping bamboo is an ornamental variety that produces hanging foliage that is likened to that of a willow tree.

It is important to note the weedy or invasive tendencies of most bamboo varieties. Without proper precautions and containment during planting, they easily grow out of control.

Bamboo grows and spreads rapidly through an underground rhizome, with each cane-like sprout being a part of the same plant. This rhizome is capable of extending far beyond the area intended, therefore containers or underground barriers are recommended for keeping bamboo out of unwanted areas. Bamboo must be separated and the containers reinforced every two to five years to prevent the plant from breaking through the barrier and spreading outside the boundaries. Bamboo varieties that are not weedy or invasive include those of the Thamnocalamus and Fargesia genuses.

These bamboo varieties are also some of the hardiest bamboo plants to grow.