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Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants and many species are fully grown after a few months or even weeks. With over a hundred hardy species, the Bambusoideae can be found more and more often in domestic gardens as a privacy screen, in Asian garden concepts or as a special eye-catcher in a single position. Of course, this raises the question for many interested parties, how fast does the bamboo grow and when will it reach its full height?
bamboo species
Grasses as tall as trees
All types of bamboo are plants from the genus of sweet grasses (Poaceae), which have their origin in the tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate climate zones. They can be found on every continent except Europe and of course Antarctica, and some species reach heights that are nothing short of gigantic. The giant bamboo holds the record with a growth height of 48 meters. Such a growth is only possible due to the permanently warm tropical weather. Due to the cool temperatures in Central Europe, we refer specifically to the genera that are suitable for cultivation in Germany, but clearly remain smaller due to the climatic conditions.
Fargesia murielae, umbrella bamboo, Muriel bamboo
Fargesia
- 100-500 centimeters
Phyllostachys
- 600 - 1,200 centimeters
pleioblastus
- 40 - 150 centimeters
Sasa and Sasaella
- 30 - 200 centimeters
pseudosasa
- an average of 400 centimeters
Notice: The lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is not listed here because this plant is not a bamboo. Dracaena sanderiana are snake lilies that resemble bamboo stems due to their growth habit, but are not related to each other.
Fargesia nitida, umbrella bamboo, bamboo
growth
How fast does bamboo grow?
Bamboo inspires people with its speed of growth, because many bamboo species, including Fargesia, reach their final height within four to six weeks. Varieties of the genus Phyllostachys, on the other hand, need several years, especially in Central Europe, until they have reached their impressive size of up to ten meters. Since there are more than 1,400 species, it cannot be said in general how fast bamboo grows, since it also grows faster in tropical regions than in Germany. In Baden-Württemberg alone, bamboo grows almost twice as fast as in northern Germany. Here is the average bamboo growth rate in Germany per day (according to empirical values).
Fargesia species
- 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters
Phyllostachys species
- 15 to 25, less often 30 centimeters
pseudosasa
- 2.5 to 5 centimeters
Sasa/Sasaella/Pleioblastus
- no information, full growth after about a month
Fargesia murielae, umbrella bamboo, Muriel bamboo
growth behavior
From Fargesia
Fargesia is a bamboo genus that offers numerous varieties that vary in height between one and five meters. Fargesia robusta 'Campbell' is the tallest Fargesia species in Germany and can grow to over five meters after about four years. The growth of Fargesia is described as follows.
- fully grown after four to six weeks
- in the following years between 100 and 120 percent growth per season
- Rhizomes do not sprout, therefore no rhizome barrier required
- grows as a compact perennial
- is suitable as a privacy screen or for dividing the garden
Tip: If you have a garden bamboo in your garden and it has sprouts, you can eat them raw. They are extremely healthy and tasty.
From Phyllostachys
The genus Phyllostachys is particularly popular with three species.
- Black cane bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra)
- Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis)
- Golden cane bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea)
The black cane bamboo was the first bamboo ever to be brought to Europe in the 19th century and is known for its deep black stalks. Phyllostachys species grow as described below.
- within the first two weeks they reach heights of about 40 centimeters
- then faster growth as stated above
- can sprout up to seven meters or more in the first eight weeks
- grow in Germany by 150 percent per year
- need rhizome barrier
- are mainly used as ornamental bamboo in the garden
Fargesia murielae, umbrella bamboo, Muriel bamboo
From Pleioblastus
Did you know that there are even bamboo species that are suitable as ground cover? The Pleioblastus genus produces a large number of species that only reach low stature heights in Germany and tend to be broader in shape and grow as follows.
- reaches final size within a few weeks
- grows only slowly in the coming years
- however extremely robust
- requires rhizome barrier
From Sasa and Sasella
The two genera Sasa and Sasella belong to the dwarf bamboo genera and reach heights of between 30 and 200 centimeters on German soil. The growth is similar to Pleioblastus.
- reach full height after about four to five weeks
- stronger growth in the following year
- also robust
- Rhizome barrier necessary
- can easily be kept in a pot
Tip: You can tell Sasa and Sasaella by their leaves. While Sasa forms broad leaves and shorter shoots, the opposite is true for Sasaella.
By Pseudosasa
Pseudosasa japonica is known in this country as arrow bamboo and grows in Germany as follows.
- sprouts quickly in the first five weeks
- can reach about 180 centimeters in the first year
- grows by 150 percent in the following years
- requires rhizome barrier
Fargesia murielae, umbrella bamboo, Muriel bamboo
growth
What is behind the growth of bamboo?
The secret behind the unique growth of bamboo plants lies in the combination of the hollow body inside the plant and the macromolecule lignin. Lignin is also an essential component in wood and ensures that the fibers are robust and durable. Bamboo culms are hollow and can therefore easily grow tall and withstand even gusts of wind without breaking. This is because the cavity reduces the tension on the fibers, allowing the bamboo to swing with the wind. The entire vitality of the plant lies in the rhizomes, which run underground and nourish the plant.