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Wet Bandit is a Phyllostachys nigra, commonly called Black bamboo.

4 sunbeams · 2 sunbursts — Log in to react or follow. 2 followers.

Timeline

  1. Public tiny_tree_tyrant

    Moved closer to the window — seems happier already.

    2 sunbeams
  2. Wet Bandit Phyllostachys nigra

    Milestone Public tiny_tree_tyrant

    Repotted into a bigger home today.

    2 sunbeams

  3. Public tiny_tree_tyrant

    Repotted into a bigger home today.

    1 sunbeam

About this plant

Common name Black bamboo
Scientific name Phyllostachys nigra
Sun Full sun to partial shade; best culm color in sun
Water Keep evenly moist; dislikes drought, especially when establishing
Soil Rich, moist, well-drained loam; slightly acidic to neutral
Nickname Wet Bandit

Fun facts

  • New culms are bright green and only turn their signature glossy black after two or three growing seasons.
  • In Japan it is called kuro-chiku and has long been prized for tea-house architecture and traditional crafts.
  • Its dark canes are used to make flutes, furniture, walking sticks, and umbrella handles.
  • The cultivar 'Henon' is the wild green-culmed ancestral form and grows much taller than the common black form.

Photos

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