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Common Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris): The Classic Tropical Clumping Bamboo

Overview

Common Bamboo is one of the most widely cultivated bamboos throughout the tropics and subtropics. It forms large, open clumps with thick-walled, green culms 30-50 feet tall and 2-4 inches in diameter. It is a primary source of bamboo timber, poles, and edible shoots in many regions.

Taxonomy & Nomenclature

Family:	Poaceae (poh-AY-see-ee)
Genus:	Bambusa (bam-BOO-suh)
Species:	vulgaris (vul-GAIR-iss)

Cultivation & Uses

Frost-free climate (USDA zones 9-11); full sun; rich, moist, well-drained soil. **Clumping bamboo** – non-invasive. Fast-growing. Used for construction, furniture, crafts, paper, and erosion control. Young shoots are a major edible crop. Many cultivars exist, including 'Vittata' (golden with green stripes) and 'Wamin' (dwarf Buddha belly).

Grasses and Bamboo: Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra); Hardy Bamboo (Fargesia rufa); Running Bamboo (Phyllostachys vivax); Giant Bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus): Towering Tropical Timber Bamboo; Common Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris): Giant Tropical Clumping Bamboo; Robust Fargesia (Fargesia robusta): A Tall, Clumping Bamboo for Screening; Dwarf Bamboo (Dendrocalamus minor): A Small, Clumping Tropical Bamboo; Bamboo (Gigantochloa pseudoarundinacea); Bamboo (Fargesia denudata); Bamboo (Bambusa arnhemica)

Garden Articles

Monastery Bamboo (Thyrsostachys siamensis): Elegant Clumping Bamboo for Warm Climates

Bamboo 'Kimmei' (Semiarundinaria yashadake): Variegated Running Bamboo with Sulcate Culms

Marbled Bamboo (Chimonobambusa marmorea): Rare Running Bamboo with Marbled Culms

Beechey Bamboo (Bambusa beecheyana): Large Tropical Clumper with Edible Shoots

Bamboo 'Kimmei' (Semiarundinaria yashadake): Variegated Running Bamboo with Yellow Sulcus

Marbled Bamboo (Chimonobambusa marmorea): Rare Running Bamboo with Marbled Culms

Male Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus): Solid-Culmed Tropical Clumper for Timber

Plants

Bamboo Iris (Iris confusa): An Evergreen Species for Shade

Bengal Bamboo (Bambusa tulda): Strong Tropical Clumper for Construction

Bamboo 'Shiroshima' (Hibanobambusa tranquillans): A Striking, Variegated Bamboo for Shade

Broadleaf Bamboo (Indocalamus latifolius): A Running Bamboo with Giant Leaves for Deep Shade

Khasia Bamboo (Drepanostachyum khasianum): A Clumping Bamboo from the Khasi Hills

Common Rice (Oryza sativa)

Common Barberry (Berberis vulgaris): Thorny Shrub with Tart Berries