How to Grow Black Bamboo Plants

Black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) is an unusually attractive bamboo with evergreen, tropical foliage on exotic, jet black stems. The bamboo reaches 15 to 20 feet tall. Black bamboo is simple to grow and does well in full sun or partial shade. Once established, black bamboo is low maintenance and requires watering only in the very driest conditions. The new shoots of black bamboo emerge green and then they turn black as they mature, which takes six months to a year. Black bamboo is excellent to use as a privacy screen or a tall hedge or as a decorative specimen plant in a Japanese garden. It is hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture zone 6.

Things You'll Need

• Black bamboo
• Shovel
• Organic matter
• Slow release fertilizer
• Mulch

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Select a suitable site for your black bamboo. Your site should have good drainage and should be in full sun or partial shade. Black bamboo is a rapid growing runner type, so give it plenty of space to run or use bamboo barrier to keep it from spreading.

   • 2

     Dig a hole about twice the size of the black bamboo's root ball. For a vigorous, healthy black bamboo, amend your soil with organic matter and mix in a slow release fertilizer. Bury the root ball to where the old soil line is. After you plant the black bamboo, water it thoroughly.

   • 3

     Add a layer of mulch 2 to 4 inches deep to help conserve water needs and also keep the weeds down. Water the black bamboo every other day for a week until it is established.