In order to make it easier for you to traverse the different types of bamboo in accordance with your intended purpose, we have divided it into two main sections, each of which contains subsections.
Due to the fact that this is the primary and most influential characteristic, it was initially separated into two categories: running and clumping variations. Then, inside each of those categories, we’ve broken it down further into plants that you can cultivate indoors as well as plants that you can cultivate outside.
Running Bamboo
It is safe to assume that the majority of these different types of bamboo can only be grown because of their size and the rate at which they grow. Also, the vast majority of running bamboo types are extremely aggressive and are even considered to be invasive in most cases.
Even if you have a yard that is large enough to grow them in, you need to get ready to do a lot of work to keep the population under control because they grow very tall and spread very quickly.
Outdoor Bamboo
Gardeners typically avoid growing bamboo because of its widespread perception as an invasive species that is challenging to keep under control. This reputation is not unjustified, and prior to planting bamboo, you should conduct some investigation into its care requirements. Bamboo may be a wonderful addition to your garden provided that you make the appropriate preparations and pay attention to the different types of bamboo that you plant.
Guadua Bamboo
Guadua Bamboo, also known as Guadua Angustifolia, is a kind of bamboo that is going to flourish in locations that are warm throughout the year.
The Guadua variety of bamboo is the hardiest and most robust of all the different types of bamboo, and it also grows to the greatest heights. Because of these characteristics, it is the most valuable species of bamboo used in the building sector.
Golden Groove Bamboo
Golden Groove Bamboo, also known as Phyllostachys Aureosulcata, is among different types of bamboo that is hardy in growth and can survive in conditions that range from very cold to extremely hot.
Golden groove bamboo may reach an average height of 15-25 feet and has the potential to grow up to 5 feet annually; as a result, it is an excellent option for people who are seeking for a super fast growing variety that can be used for hedging.
Kuma Bamboo
Kuma Bamboo (Sasa Veitchii) can handle a little bit of cold, but is not too fond of really high conditions either. Kuma bamboo is also known as Sasa Veitchii.
Kuma bamboo is a small type and doesn’t look like the regular bamboo plant. It has short and robust stems that are covered in dark green leaves that turn a two-toned tint in the fall, with the margins taking on a straw-colored hue. These are planted for their leaves throughout the winter months.
Chilean bamboo
The ideal growth conditions for Chilean bamboo is a more limited growth zone, and the ideal conditions for growing them are climes that are analogous to those in Chile.
The average height of a stand of Chilean bamboo is between 20 and 26 feet, and its average patch size is about 4 feet on all sides. They have magnificent solid stems that are the color olive green, and they are ornamented with narrow leaves that are formed like lances in the color green.
Arrow Bamboo
The decorative type of bamboo, known as Arrow Bamboo (Pseudosasa Japonica), will thrive best when grown in a region that is more temperate and experiences conditions that are less severe.
Because it is easier to manage than most other different types of bamboo as well as having a nice appearance, arrow bamboo is typically utilized as an ornamental variety. It gives rise to extremely compact clusters of slender bamboo culms.
Giant Bamboo
The Giant Bamboo, or Dendrocalamus Giganteus, is a highly magnificent evergreen bamboo type. It does best in tropical climes.
The name “giant bamboo” describes the plant perfectly. It is well-known for having stems that can reach heights of 80–100 feet and for having the quickest rate of growth of all the different types of bamboo. Not only that, but each individual culm measures 12 inches in diameter, making them the thickest culms that have ever been found.
The culms of giant bamboo are quite thick and have a dull green coloration. Because of their ability to grow up to 12 inches in a single day, they are utilized in the building industry, the furniture industry, and pretty much any other industry imaginable.
Indoor Bamboo
Different types of bamboo houseplants not only offer a lovely visual touch to a space but also confer a number of practical advantages in addition to their attractiveness. Bamboo is capable of being cultivated indoors, despite the fact that it is not often thought of as an indoor plant. Different types of bamboo are able to adapt well to life inside if given the appropriate conditions and care.
Buddha’s Belly
The Buddha’s Belly, also known as Bambusa Ventricosa, may reach heights of up to 15 feet and is regarded as one of the different types of bamboo species that thrives best when grown indoors. This bamboo can be maintained in a healthy state inside of a house with ceilings of an ordinary height with only occasional trimming.
The amount of water that the plant obtains determines how large the stem will become as the plant matures. As a Buddha’s Belly bamboo plant receives less water, the bulge that forms around the culm becomes more pronounced, giving rise to the plant’s common name. This species of bamboo is able to thrive in artificial environments and is frequently grown as a bonsai plant.
Black Bamboo
If you plant black bamboo(Phyllostachys Nigra) in full sunlight, the young branches will initially have a yellowish-green tint, but as they mature, they will take on an absolutely magnificent dark brown and black color. They are joined with leaves that are a vibrant bright green, which creates quite a stunning contrast.
When cultivated in a container, black bamboo can be relatively manageable, despite its intimidating appearance. If they are grown in a container, they will reach a height of approximately 6 feet, but if they are grown outside of one, they can reach a height of up to 30 feet. They can also be contained in your garden if you choose to do so.
Clumping Bamboo
Even while it is much easier to control than running bamboo and doesn’t spread nearly as far as it does, clumping bamboo nevertheless has the ability to reach extremely great heights. Growing bamboo in a confined space is a technique to control this species, and they won’t be as difficult to handle as they would be in a more open setting.
Bamboo Plants for the Outdoors
Clumping bamboo is among different types of bamboo that are more easily confined, and while it does still expand underground, the rate at which it does so is much slower and more under control. This is a better option for the occasional gardener or for individuals with restricted space who are interested in learning how to plant and grow bamboo despite their space constraints.
Hedge Bamboo
Hedge Bamboo (Bambusa Multiplex) is a plant that is known for being the most popular and best hedge bamboo plant.
Despite the fact that this is a clumping variety, the size that they reach is still rather remarkable. These slender bunches of dark green culms, which are no thicker than a pencil, can grow to a height of 35 feet!
Umbrella Bamboo
Umbrella Bamboo (Fargesia Murielae) – umbrella bamboo is one of the more cold resistant varieties among different types of bamboo. It is a plant that is fairly cold hardy and can be happy growing all year long.
It is widely regarded as being among the most aesthetically pleasing types. It features thin, brilliant green leaves that are elongated and have a light blue stem that turns into a golden yellow tint as it matures.
Bamboo Plants for the Interior
Do not be hesitant if you either have a constrained amount of room in your home or the want to introduce bamboo indoors. Different types of bamboo plants grown in containers as outdoor and indoor decorative elements in low-light conditions will not only thrive in the containers it is kept in, but will also bring fresh air, peace, and luck.
Heavenly Bamboo
Heavenly Bamboo, also known as Sacred Bamboo or Chinese Bamboo (Nandina Domestica), likes to grow in USDA zones 6 through 9, which makes it a plant that thrives in climates that are quite mild.
Heavenly bamboo is a type of deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub that has ornamental value throughout the year due to its gorgeous foliage during the spring and summer months as well as its bright red berries in the late summer and fall months.
Heavenly bamboo only reaches heights of 4-8 feet and widths of approximately 2-4 feet when mature, making it an extremely manageable plant among different types of bamboo. Either you could easily accommodate it in a sizable container within your house, or you could cultivate it outside in your garden.
Large Leaved Bamboo
Large Leaved Bamboo (Indocalamus Tesselatus) can be grown successfully outside in USDA zones 5 through 8, but it is also easy enough to care for as it can be grown well as an indoor plant.
This evergreen type belongs to a species that is only capable of reaching heights of six to ten feet at the most, depending on how well you are able to care for it. In addition, they produce slender, glossy green leaves and are well-known for being the food of choice for panda bears.
Lucky Bamboo
Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena Sanderiana/Dracaena Braunii) thrives in moist environments, making it an ideal option for an indoor plant that is still compact enough to be placed on a countertop. It is customary to provide lucky bamboo to the new homeowners of one’s home as a housewarming gift because of its ability to improve the feng shui of the space.
The lucky bamboo plant is well-known for having a variety of eye-catching shapes and swirls, and it is capable of being taught into any growth habit imaginable. They rarely exceed a height of three to ten feet in their lifetime.