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Phyllostachys nigra /ˈnɪɡɹə/

Common name: Black bamboo

Phyllostachys nigra is a running bamboo native to China, celebrated for its slender culms that emerge green and gradually deepen to a glossy jet black over two to three years. It forms an elegant, open grove of dark canes topped with fine, bright-green foliage, typically reaching 4.5–9 m in good conditions. It is one of the most popular ornamental bamboos, grown as a specimen plant, screen, or hedge, and its dark stems are also harvested for furniture, musical instruments, and crafts. As a runner, it spreads by underground rhizomes and is usually confined with a root barrier in gardens.

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.

Care summary

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
Hardiness Zones 7–10
Mature height 4.5–9 m (15–30 ft)
Pet safe Generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs
Difficulty Moderate
Propagation By rhizome or culm division in early spring, before new shoots emerge

Make your own Black bamboo profile

Common problems

    • Install deep root barrier at planting
    • Mow or cut unwanted new shoots
    • Grow in large sturdy containers
    • Plant in sheltered spot
    • Water well before hard freezes
    • Accept damaged leaves; new ones emerge
    • Improve drainage before planting
    • Avoid heavy compacted clay sites