Sorry, I can't help you w/ that. I really would like to ask where you got the black bamboo? The only catalog I see it in is Wayside where it is 100.00! I would like some but am not willing to pay that kind of money for a plant. Maybe someone could recommend some good sources? Thanks! Brandy

I do, but they are all either young, or not growing well (like my henon) :Don't buy from wayside, they are WAY too much. I've bought from http://www.bamboogardens.com

My first Black Bamboo I got was at a Home Depot of all places. I paid $75.00 for it. It was so big I could hardly get it in my Explorer. The other two I got from a neighborhood Nursery for $65.00 each. I bought them two years ago so I heard that the prices went up.

Thanks for the info. I will try bamboo gardens. Brandy

I bought a 2-3 gallon Phylostachis nigra, or "black bamboo", from MidAtlantic Bamboo a year ago. It wasn't excessively cheap, but a nice healthy specimen that arrived in excellent condition. I'm very pleased so far.

Here is a link that might be useful: MidAtlantic Bamboo

Try Tradewnds Bamboo. I have purchased from them before. Gib isvery helpfull and knowledgable.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tradewinds Bamboo

I checked out Mid-atlantic and Tradewinds. While the price at Mid-atlantic was a bit higher, it is much closer to me so I think I would prefer it. I have some concern however about running type bamboo spreading and the directions for installing a barrier are a bit intimidating. Any suggestions? It also looks like I would certainly have to leave a soaker hose in place in order to keep it from dying in this sand. I appreciate the help! Thanks! Brandy

Oops, sorry about that. There is a site that is very similar to theirs, I made that mistake the first time I went searching for them. Here it is: http://www.bamboogarden.com (no 's').

If you want the cheapest and very good quality, I also bought a lovely looking P. Atrovaginata at http://www.bambooplantation.com, but I don't know if they have what you want, but their stuff is pretty cheap and the shipping isn't bad either. I paid $38 for a size 2 P. Atrovaginata, this included shipping.

It's still early days yet for my Ph nigra, but I don't intend to install a barrier. I'm told that "rhizome pruning" is an effective means of controlling runners and suppose I'll start this fall, since the bamboo I planted a year ago ran about four feet in its first season.

Some folks do install barriers, but I'm led to believe it can be difficult, expensive, and not 100% fool-proof.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rhizome Control

I appreciate all the help! I checked out the above links- think I will stick w/ Mid-Atlantic since it is closer to my zone. The rhizome control link was helpful. I think I might try a combination of methods- dig a trench, and put down plastic, might even try putting water in the trench- but I don't want to encourage the mosquitos.
I have so much on my plate now- covering plants to protect them at night, have new plants I have to put outside during the day, spreading mulch, and I planted a raspberry plant last yr which has decided it wants to be a raspberry thicket-meaning I need to relocate it and all its babies, (plus, of course, working full time) that the bamboo project will likely be for fall. Meanwhile, I'll settle on a spot away from the drain lines, dig the roots etc up and get it ready. Can I plant bamboo in the fall? Or is it a spring project? How long will it take to get 7 or 8 ft poles? My son loves to switch the poles around, throw them, etc, and I have been paying 2.00/ea. for skinny 6 ft poles to support my clematis, etc, so I think the bamboo would be a good investment- also, the black bamboo looks gorgeous in the pics and I surely could give some away. So, can anyone tell me when I should plant (zone 7) and how long it takes for them to grow to 7 or 8 ft.? Thanks, Brandy

Brandy,
When I bought my Black Bamboo it was already 7-8 feet tall. It seems to almost double in size with the new shoots. I have new shoots right now about 3-4 feet tall and I can hardly wait to see how big they get. This bamboo is amazing but at this time I couldn't imagine cutting it for the poles. Maybe if I had an overwhelming amount and had to thin it out, but that takes awhile. I am not an expert, but I believe you can plant bamboo in the fall. I am in Zone 9 so maybe it is different where you are at. Photo's of the Black Bamboo don't do it justice.
Carol

Thank you Carol. Maybe I should plant a cheaper green or yellow one to cut for poles, any suggestions?
I know the pics in the Wayside mag of the black looked gorgeous (but I also decided some time back that some of the colors in their catalog were not lifelike- did not match the colors given in other less expensive catalogs). It's nice to have verification that I probably won't regret the expense later.
Still waiting for some feedback about containing them. Meanwhile, I am looking around trying to decide the best place to plant them. Maybe a basic book on growing them would be helpful, any recommendations? Thanks, Brandy

Brandy,
I would just use the internet. I found a site that I like
www.mrbamboo.com
The guy has alot of info and makes it fun to look at. I search this site to see if I can find my answer from others that have asked the same question. If not I post the topic to see if anyone can help me. What better to place to get info than from others that love bamboo like we do and have their own experience to share. Take your time and do the research before you choose. Most of my bamboo has a 3 feet deep thick rizone barrier around them and I am always checking to see if any are trying to excape over the top, or I have them in very large containers. I would love to have one of every kind but I don't have the space. As it is, I have 6 different types. They are very, very addicting so watch out.
Carol

thank you, Carol. I checked out mrbamboo. I did not know that black bamboo came in the clumping as well as running. I think the clumping would be a much safer choice for me. As for some I could cut, maybe the giant timber, another clumping one. Spreading rampantly is not a concern w/ clumping is it?
I do have some concern about the winter temps, though. Usually the coldest it gets here is in the 20's and that would be at night. What zone are you in and what has your experience been as to how hardy it is? Brandy

The Giant Black is beautiful. I wonder if it is harder to get then the running black bamboo? I would like to keep it in a big pot. Do you live in a area where you have the space? I live in Los Angeles, in a residential area. I have a yard but not a real big one. It doesn't get too cold her. We had a bad freeze not too long ago and I lost many of my plants. I have been working now to replace lots of plants that didn't make it. My bamboo was fine.

I have quite a bit of space. It is very rural here. It was all just bare sand surrounded by woods and I have been working hard for 3 yrs on planting things. Figuring out what works and what doesn't. The unseasonably warm weather followed by a prolonged cold snap damaged my crepe myrtles, saucer magnolia, roses and even my carolina jasmine. My clematis, on the other hand seems fine. I suspect there are other things damaged that I just haven't discovered yet- I wonder if the buds on my azaleas survived... I expect most of my plants to survive, but maybe not bloom at all this spring.
Not much time to do anything outside, going camping this wkend. Hope my cousin can keep things watered and cats fed.
I am a sucker for garden mags- anything beautiful.
I can't imagine living in the city, but then I grew up in the country. Sorry for running on- it has been a very busy month and I expect it to stay that way at work, at the same time I am trying to plant spring plants, garden, etc. I am a bit stressed... So much to do, so little time to do it in!
Well,I am going to figure on getting the clumping kind. I still have not figured out where I want it exactly (concerned about planting too near the septic lines- idiots put them all across the back yard!), but I will figure it out. Clumping bamboo sounds like a great, low-maintenance plant, gorgeous and useful. Glad to hear yours survived the cold weather. Brandy

Brandy,

The two clumpers you mention, "Timor Black" - Bambusa lako - and "Giant Timber" - Dendrocalamus giganteus - might be too tender for your zone. The information I'm looking at says 28°F and 25°F, respectively.

There's another bamboo forum out there with participants who have experience with both of these cultivars. You might consider seeing what they have to say about the idea.

Here is a link that might be useful: Another forum

I purchased my Black Bamboo from Lewis Bamboo in Massachusettes. It's a good species. Not nearly as aggressive as P. aureus (at least for me). As for mixing species, I'd be careful. I planted P. aureus mixed in with Pseudosasa japonica. The aureus is just completely dominating the landscape and crowding out the S. japonica.

Thank you highlander. I will check it out. I thought if I planted it in the edge of the woods that might provide some protection. I guess the question is will mulch protect the roots or will the whole plant die if the foliage gets too cold? I've got time to research it- I've got about 30 plants waiting to be planted now :) so no time to add something exotic that is going to take some planning. Also, going camping tomorrow and get away! Work has been exhausting lately. Thanks, Brandy

I don't know whether mulch might help or not. As I say, it's probably best to consult someone with experience growing those particular cultivars.

I have a black bamboo and a moso bamboo that I just put together last spring in a 8 foot diameter area surrounded by a 2 foot deep 60 mil HDPE barrier. They are happy so far, but I was told that eventually the stronger one might win out.

Grant

I've got several fairly close to each other, so mixing will be interesting.. only a couple of years old so far. Bambusoides, nigra, P. viridis, Hale, Henon, Daikokuchiku, and vivax. This year they are all coming up like crazy!

As an update, in my bed where I put black bamboo and Moso bamboo, the black bamboo has done best. The new culms for the moso were all under 1/2 inch in diameter, and the black bamboo has been almost an inch and nearly 15 feet tall. This spring, though there are a dozen new shoots that are over an inch, but I can't tell if they are black bamboo or Moso. I've included a picture.