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Bambusa oldhamii

Common name: Oldham's bamboo · Giant timber bamboo

Bambusa oldhamii is a giant clumping bamboo native to Taiwan, prized for its tall, straight, thick-walled green culms that rise in a tidy, fountain-like clump. One of the largest tropical bamboos in cultivation, it can exceed 15 m in warm climates yet stays non-invasive thanks to its clumping (sympodial) rhizomes. It is widely grown as a fast privacy screen, windbreak, and specimen plant, and its young shoots are edible and mildly sweet. It tolerates more cold and drought than most tropical bamboos, making it a favorite in subtropical gardens.

Fun facts

  • Its young shoots are edible and considered some of the mildest, least bitter of any bamboo, needing little pre-boiling.
  • Despite being a tropical clumper, it survives brief dips to about -6 C (20 F), colder than most Bambusa species.
  • New culms can rocket to full height in a single growing season, then take several years to thicken and harden.
  • It was introduced to Western horticulture in the 1860s and named for British plant collector Richard Oldham.

Care summary

Sun Full sun to partial shade
Water Water deeply and regularly while establishing; moderately drought-tolerant once mature
Soil Deep, fertile, well-drained loam; tolerates a range of soils
Hardiness Zones 9–11
Mature height 12–20 m (40–65 ft)
Pet safe Generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs
Difficulty Moderate
Propagation By division of established clumps or culm cuttings

Make your own Oldham's bamboo · Giant timber bamboo profile

Common problems

    • Grow in containers and shelter in winter
    • Mulch roots deeply before cold snaps
    • Wrap exposed culms with burlap
    • Choose a south-facing, sheltered site
    • Plant out of prevailing hot winds
    • Irrigate deeply during heat waves
    • Provide light afternoon shade
    • Trim scorched foliage after heat passes
    • Hose foliage down regularly
    • Treat with horticultural oil
    • Remove heavily infested leaves
    • Remove and destroy infested shoots
    • Inspect new shoots weekly in spring
    • Apply neem oil to emerging culms
    • Clear dead cane debris around the clump