Bambusa multiplex /ˈmʌl.tiˌplɛks/
Common name: Hedge bamboo · Chinese Goddess bamboo · Clumping bamboo
Bambusa multiplex is a densely clumping bamboo species native to southern China, long cultivated there and throughout Southeast Asia. It forms tight, slowly expanding clumps of slender upright culms thickly clothed in small leaves, creating a naturally dense screen. It is one of the most widely planted ornamental bamboos in warm climates, prized for hedges, privacy screens, and container culture because its sympodial rhizomes do not run and invade. Several popular selections, including the variegated 'Alphonse Karr' and the dwarf 'Golden Goddess', derive from this species.
Care summary
Sun
Full sun to partial shade; densest in good light
Water
Keep evenly moist; water deeply in dry spells, dislikes prolonged drought
Soil
Fertile, moist, well-drained loam; tolerates clay with drainage
Hardiness
Zones 9–11
Mature height
3–5 m (10–16 ft)
Pet safe
Generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs
Difficulty
Moderate
Propagation
By division of the clump or culm cuttings in spring
Fun facts
- The species name 'multiplex' refers to its many-branched, many-culmed habit; a single clump can carry hundreds of slender canes.
- The famous variegated bamboo 'Alphonse Karr', with golden culms striped in green, is a form of Bambusa multiplex.
- Because its rhizomes are sympodial, the clump typically expands only a few centimeters per year, so it is one of the safest bamboos to plant without a root barrier.
- It has been cultivated in China for centuries as a hedge and windbreak plant and was among the first bamboos introduced to Western gardens.