Bamboo is listed by common name, followed by the botanical Latin name. Some bamboo species sport several different common names, depending on which neck of the woods you're in. The Latin names keep us all on the same page. The height ranges I've listed reflect what you're likely to see in north Georgia. Final maximum height will vary with growing conditions.

Typical Mature Height Range: 12' to 16'

Unique Feature: Used in historic Japan to make arrows.

Origin: Korea, Japan.

Description: Used in historic Japan to make arrows. Great for green screens where height is limited to about 12 feet (foliage can begin as low as one foot!). Shade tolerant. Also tolerant of wind and salt spray, although I admit that we haven't seen much salt spray in these parts since... oh... the Paleozoic Era.

Return to top

Typical Mature Height Range: 23' to 28'

Unique Feature: Extremely cold hardy

Origin: China
 
Description: Dark green, but direct sunlight can brighten it to a light gold. Good medium-height green screen.

Typical Mature Height Range: 23' to 28'

Unique Feature: Canes emerge green, fade to black after two or three seasons

Origin: China
 
Description: Black bamboo is the most sought-after ornamental bamboo we know. Canes emerge as green, but begin turning black at the nodes in the second year. Within a couple more seasons, the entire cane is black. The black canes create a pleasing contrast when planted near other greenery. Canes tend to lean, giving it a graceful appearance while limiting its use near walkways, bike paths, and so forth.

The photo to the right displays an excellent example of how black bamboo changes from green to black over time. The black cane in the back is from three seasons ago. Canes in the middle, from two seasons ago, show green giving way to black. The cane on the left is the youngest, having emerged this season and only showing hints of black.

"Cool!  Bamboo with arthritis!" -- Babbie Brown, Kennesaw, Georgia

Typical Mature Height Range: 18 feet with 1-inch diameter canes

Unique Feature: Large, disk-like nodes along the canes

Origin: Sichuan, China

Description: Viewing a bamboo photo is a pale subsitute for viewing a living specimen and Chinese Walking Stick proves it. I'd seen photos, but was never impressed until I saw it growing with my own eyes. A two-dimensional photo just cannot do it justice. I was stunned by its unique, exotic beauty and knew I had to add it to our collection here at Argo Farm.

Also known as Crane's Leg bamboo, its large disk-like nodes make it very popular for making canes and walking sticks in Sichuan, China. The thick clusters of delicate leaves are equally stunning. Most bamboo displays unique canes or unique leaves -- this has both! The Chinese Walking Stick bamboo is becoming endangered in its native habitat and export of these from China is now closely regulated.

This is a very rare bamboo in the U.S., and I'm proud to offer it to the metro Atlanta area. As you can guess, current supplies are very limited. For now: First come, first served.

Return to top

Typical Mature Height Range: 6' to 8'

Unique Feature: One of only two bamboos native to the continental U.S.

Origin: Good Ol' U. S. of A.
 
Description: This bamboo grows wild on the farm here. It was established long before Whites arrived in Georgia. Heck, it was here long before the Cherokees arrived! My grandfather once harvested it each year for staking up pole beans and for other uses around the farm. We still use it for plant stakes and crafts. Leaves grow close to the cane.

Return to top

Typical Mature Height Range: 4' to 6'

Unique Feature: Largest leaves of any bamboo

Origin: China
 
Description: Famous for sporting the largest leaves of any bamboo in cultivation (up to two feet long and four inches wide!). As with Palmata, the broad leaves enable it to thrive in shade and provide a tropical overtone to your interior decorating or landscaping.

Typical Mature Height Range: 25' to 30'

Unique Feature: Gnarly base makes excellent handgrip

Origin: China, cultivated in Japan for centuries
 
Description: Long-time Southern favorite, introduced to America in 1882 in Alabama. The canes have a irregular growth patterns at the bottom that make terrific hand grips for fishing poles or walking canes.

Typical Mature Height Range: 50' to 60'

Unique Feature: Timber bamboo with bluish-gray poles.

Origin: China
 
Description: Black bamboo's big brother. Poles are strong and resemble Japanese Timber bamboo.

Typical Mature Height Range: 50' to 60'

Unique Feature: Grows very strong poles

Origin: Japan

Description: Very similar to Vivax in height and size. Requires more time to reach maximum size, but poles have thicker walls than Vivax and are stronger.

Typical Mature Height Range: 22' to 25'

Unique Feature: Green stripes along a yellow cane, occasional white stripes on the leaves, similar gnarly base nodes as Fish Cane.

Origin: Cultivar of Fish Cane

Description: The flamboyant cousin of Fishcane (or Golden) bamboo. Koi sports the same knuckly, fantastic node patterns along the base as Fish Cane bamboo. However, instead of golden canes, Koi canes are green with occasional golden vertical stripes. Some leaves are also decorated with yellow stripes. Otherwise, Koi enjoys the same growth characteristics as Fish Cane bamboo.

Return to top

Typical Mature Height Range: 65' to 70'

Unique Feature: Tallest bamboo you can grow in Georgia!

Origin: China
 
Description: If want the absolute tallest, biggest, most bodacious bamboo that will grow in Georgia, Moso is your ticket. The poles (you can't really call them canes when they're THAT big!) can reach diameters greater than six inches. You won't get this size over night: plants can require several years to reach Godzilla size. For you stir fry fans: the bamboo shoots in your Moo Goo Gai Pan are typically Moso.

Typical Mature Height Range: 8' to 10'

Unique Feature: Swollen nodes resemble green onions
 
Origin: Korea, Japan.

Description: Cousin to Arrow bamboo. This highly prized ornamental gets its name from the swollen cane nodes that resemble the bulb of a green onion.

Typical Mature Height Range: 6' to 8'

Unique Feature: Broad leaves, loves shade

Origin: Japan

Description: The broad leaves of this bamboo enable it to thrive in shade and provide a tropical overtone to your interior decorating or landscaping. Leaves can grow more than a foot long and two inches wide.

Typical Mature Height Range: 40' to 50'

Unique Feature: Fast, dense growth. I've seen it grow so thick that a cat couldn't crawl through it.

Origin: China

Description: Best all-around choice for a tall, fast-growing green screen. Easily outpacing pine trees, Phyllostachys rubromarginata produced the largest tonnage of dry wood per acre of any of any bamboo tested by Auburn University.

Typical Mature Height Range: 35' to 40'

Unique Feature: Gold with occasional dark green stripes

Origin: China
 
Description: A personal favorite of mine, this bamboo is a beautiful ornamental and gains an attractive height and diameter. This bamboo was named for Robert A. Young, USDA horticulturist who wrote extensively about bamboo.

Typical Mature Height Range: 45' to 50'

Unique Feature: Many poles zig-zag at the base

Origin: China
 
Description: A rare, exotic timber bamboo. Many culms zig-zag along the base, then continue straight up. Makes for a visually intriguing landscape element! Oh yes: White tail deer love the young shoots!

Maximum Height: 25 to 30 feet

Origin: China

Description: This "spectacular bamboo" grows bright yellow culms with a green stripe. A rare bamboo, Spectabilis rivals Red Margin bamboo an excellent screen due to its fast, upright growth. In sunny locations, new culms have a spectacular red highlight. This species also forms occasional zig-zag patterns at the base and makes a stunning outdoor container plant.

Return to top

Typical Mature Height Range: 15' to 20'

Unique Feature: Excepionally hard wood used for furniture, construction, and crafts.

Origin: China
 
Description: Very hard wood (hence the name, Stone), great for crafts and furniture. Green canes fade to gold with age.

Typical Mature Height Range: 8' to 12'

Unique Feature: Verigated Leaves

Origin: Japan

Description: Variegated foliage makes this a prized ornamental. Does very well in containers. Great landscaping addition to water features.

Return to top

Typical Mature Height Range: 23' to 28'

Unique Feature: Hollow roots enable it to grow in wet soil.

Origin: China
 
Description: Thrives near wet areas that would swamp most bamboo (air channels in the roots!). Dark Green to gray, great for medium-height green screen. Especially useful for planting near retention ponds or other drainage control features: roots hold the soil in place and withstand soggy conditions.

Right out of the shoot! Golden vivax immediately displays its buttery culms with green stripes.

Typical Mature Height Range: 50' to 60'

Unique Feature: Fastest growing timber bamboo

Origin: China

Description: Mature groves can produce specimens up to five inches in diameter, with the first branches well above 20 feet. Both Green and Golden Vivax remain your best choice for the maximum height in the minimum time.

Green Vivax (Phyllostachys vivax): Canes/Poles mature to a lush green.

Golden Vivax (P. vivax 'Aureocaulis'): A relatively rare bamboo here in the U.S. Golden Vivax boasts the same height and rapid growth of Green Vivax, but Golden has buttery colored canes with occasional vertical green stripes (also called "Bar Code Bamboo" for this reason).