Bambusa textilis
Common name: Weaver's bamboo · Graceful bamboo
Bambusa textilis is a tall, tightly clumping bamboo from southern China, prized for its slender, thin-walled culms that split cleanly into strips for weaving baskets and fine bamboo ware. It forms a dense, upright clump of smooth green canes with long internodes, powdery white when young, topped by delicate, feathery foliage. Because it stays in a neat clump rather than running, it is one of the most popular ornamental bamboos for hedges, privacy screens, and garden accents in warm climates.
Care summary
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Water
Keep evenly moist while establishing; moderately drought-tolerant once mature
Soil
Moist, well-drained loam; sandy loam to clay loam, slightly acidic
Hardiness
Zones 8–11
Mature height
6–12 m (20–40 ft)
Pet safe
Generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs
Difficulty
Moderate
Propagation
By clump or rhizome division in spring; also by culm cuttings
Fun facts
- The epithet 'textilis' means 'woven' in Latin, a nod to the culms' traditional use in basketry and weaving.
- Its culm walls are unusually thin for a large bamboo, which is exactly what makes them split so cleanly into flexible weaving strips.
- Young culms are coated in a powdery white bloom that gradually fades to a smooth green as they mature.
- The slender cultivar 'Gracilis', sold as graceful bamboo or slender weaver, is one of the most planted privacy bamboos in Florida.