Bamboo Species Source List

This is the thirty-second year that the American Bamboo Society (ABS) has compiled a Source List of bamboo plants and products. The List includes more than 490 kinds (species, subspecies, varieties, and cultivars) of bamboo available in the US and Canada, and many bamboo-related products.

The ABS produces the Source List as a public service. It is published on the ABS Web site. Paper copies are sent to all ABS members and can also be ordered from ABS for $5.00 postpaid. Some ABS chapters and listed vendors also sell the Source List. Please refer to the ordering information.

The vendor sources for plants, products, and services are complied annually from information supplied by the vendors. We have tried to record all information accurately, but some error is inevitable and information may change during the life of the Source List. If you find errors, please report them to the Source List editors (). No guarantee is offered for the reliability of individual vendors, but if you feel that a listed vendor has not provided good service, you may report your concerns to the editors.

Species Table

The Species Table lists bamboos in alphabetical order by botanical name. The botanical name for a species is a binomial comprised of the genus and the specific member of that genus. For example, the botanical name Phyllostachys aurea, is comprised of the genus, Phyllostachys, and a specific member of that genus, aurea. Common names are listed beneath the botanical names. For example, Phyllostachys aurea is sometimes called Golden Bamboo or Fishpole Bamboo.

A species may also have recognized variations. In descending order of significance, they are subspecies, variety, and forma. Plants of cultivated origin with recognized variation may be listed as cultivars and are also included. Since issue No. 23, the Source List has rationalized the names below species level. Cultivar names are used instead of botanical forma names, as they have almost identical rank and are more appropriate for cultivated, rather than wild plants. Only subspecies, variety, or cultivar names have been used in this list.

Several existing cultivar names are not fully in accord with requirements for naming cultivars. In the interests of nomenclature stability, conflicts such as these are overlooked to allow continued use of familiar names rather than the creation of new ones. The Source List editors reserve the right to continue recognizing widely used names that may not be fully in accord with the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP) and to recognize identical cultivar names in different species of the same genus as long as the species is stated.

Many new bamboo cultivars still require naming, description, and formal publication. Growers with new cultivars should consider publishing articles in the ABS magazine, “Bamboo”. Among other requirements, keep in mind that new cultivars must satisfy three criteria: distinctiveness, uniformity, and stability. Additional information is available from the International Society for Horticultural Science in the document, “How to name a new cultivar”. The document is available on the Web at: http://www.ishs.org/icra/index.htm

Numeric Limitations

The species table includes numerics for maximum height, maximum diameter, minimum temperature, and sunlight requirements. These numerics are not absolutes, but are intended to afford a quick, rough, relative comparison among bamboos. They are not a substitute for a deeper understanding of the cultural requirements and performance of each bamboo in the context of the cultural conditions in which it will be grown.

Maximum height and diameter: The figures cited for maximum height and diameter are only achievable in optimal growing conditions in a large grove, clump, or forest that has been established for as long as a decade or more. Bamboo grown in a pot, a small garden plot, or in less than ideal conditions will likely be substantially smaller than the stated maximums. On the other hand, the stated maximums are not intended to indicate world records, but an approximate of the largest culms of mature plants grown in favorable conditions.

Minimum temperature: The minimum temperature is the point at which leaf damage begins to appear after a short exposure to the temperature. Culm and rhizome death generally occur at much lower temperatures. However, many variable conditions affect minimum temperature tolerance, including wind, humidity, soil moisture, snow cover, plant maturity, plant health, protection by structures, trees, and other plants, and duration and frequency of low temperatures. A plant may tolerate the minimum temperature for a night or two, but may not tolerate weeks at a temperature five degrees warmer. Drying winds and the absence of snow cover might kill an immature plant outright, whereas a sheltered more established plant might be entirely unscathed. The cold hardiness of a new introduction is only a best estimate, and revisions are made as more information becomes available. Minimum temperatures in the table are only relative approximations. The Source List editors and the ABS are not responsible for any damage or loss arising from the data provided.

Sunlight: Sunlight requirements are listed on a scale from 1 to 5. A rating of 1 indicates full shade and a 5 indicates full sun. Ratings 2 through 4 are intermediate progressions along the scale. Most bamboos can grow successfully in a broad range of conditions, though the greatest vigor will occur in a narrower range. The numeric ratings for sunlight are only relative approximations. For example, a Phyllostachys that generally thrives in full sun in the Northeast may prefer some shading in the intense arid summers of the Southwest. Conversely, a Sasa that generally requires mostly shady conditions in the Southeast may thrive in full sun in the coastal Pacific Northwest. Keep in mind that other conditions are also significant factors. For example, even if a Fargesia is provided with ideal semi-shaded conditions, it may not thrive if air temperature and soil are too hot.

Plant sources: The “Sources” column contains a link to the vendors of each plant. The search page to find sources based on location is at: Sources Some of the sources in foreign countries carry plants, but cannot legally ship them to the United States.

Products and services: The search page to find sources of bamboo products is at: Products

Descriptions for some vendors may indicate ‘Visits by appointment.’ Many growers and product and service providers are part-time or small business operations without a store or sales staff. If you arrive without an appointment, you may find no one available. To make an appointment, phone or e-mail the vendor in advance. Many vendors also offer plants or products for ordering by mail, phone, or the Internet. “Wholesale only” vendors serve only retailers or landscapers and do not offer retail service.

Searching the Source List

Starting in 2010 the search capabilities from BambooWeb has been incorporated into the ABS website. It makes it easy to search for combinations of characteristics (height, diameter, sun tolerance, clumping or running and minimum temperature). You can also search for sources and products.

Synonyms

The following are synonyms that often cause confusion. The former name may be entirely incorrect in the case of misidentification; it may have been in an inappropriate genus; or it may be a name that was not in accord with requirements for taxonomic nomenclature.

Table of synonyms and corrected names

old name (AKA)	name used here
ACIDOSASA gigantea	INDOSASA gigantea
ARTHROSTYLIDIUN sp. (hort)	CHUSQUEA circinata
ARUNDINARIA alpina	YUSHANIA alpina
ARUNDINARIA amabilis	PSEUDOSASA amabilis
ARUNDINARIA anceps	YUSHANIA anceps
ARUNDINARIA auricoma	PLEIOBLASTUS viridistriatus
ARUNDINARIA falconeri	DREPANOSTACHYUM falcatum 'var. sengteeanum'
ARUNDINARIA fangiana	SAROCALAMUS fangianus
ARUNDINARIA hookerianus	HIMALAYACALAMUS hookerianus
ARUNDINARIA macrosperma	ARUNDINARIA gigantea
ARUNDINARIA maling	YUSHANIA maling
ARUNDINARIA tessellata	THAMNOCALAMUS tessellatus
ARUNDINARIA vagans	SASAELLA ramosa
BAMBUSA arundinacea	BAMBUSA bambos
BAMBUSA dissemulator	BAMBUSA dissimulator
BAMBUSA edulis	BAMBUSA odashimae
BAMBUSA forbesii	NEOLOLEBA atra
BAMBUSA glaucescens	BAMBUSA multiplex
BAMBUSA multiplex 'Green Alphonse'	BAMBUSA multiplex 'Midori Green'
Bambusa mutabilis	Bambusa textilis 'Mutabilis'
Bambusa tuldoides 'Clone X'	Bambusa sp. 'Clone X'
Bambusa tuldoides 'ventricosa'	Bambusa ventricosa
Bambusa variegata (hort.)	Bambusa glaucophylla
BAMBUSA vulgaris 'Striata'	BAMBUSA vulgaris 'Vittata'
BASHANIA faberi	SAROCALAMUS faberi
Borinda boliana	Yushania boliana
CHIMONOBAMBUSA falcata	HIMALYACALAMUS hookerianus
CHUSQUEA breviglumis	CHUSQUEA gigantea
Chusquea breviglumis	Chusquea culeou
CHUSQUEA nigricans	CHUSQUEA culeou 'Ca?a Prieta'
CHUSQUEA quila	CHUSQUEA valdiviensis
DENDROCALAMUS affinis	BAMBUSA emeiensis
DENDROCALAMUS membranaceus	BAMBUSA membranacea
DREPANOSTACHYUM falcatum	HIMALAYACALAMUS hookerianus
DREPANOSTACHYUM falconeri	DREPANOSTACHYUM falcatum 'var. sengteeanum'
DREPANOSTACHYUM hookerianum	HIMALAYACALAMUS falconeri 'Damarapa'
DREPANOSTACHYUM sengteeanum	HIMALAYACALAMUS falconeri
FARGESIA angustissima	BORINDA angustissima
FARGESIA crassinodus	THAMNOCALAMUS crassinodus
Fargesia dracocephala	Fargesia apircirubens
Fargesia dracocephala 'White Dragon'	Fargesia apircirubens 'White Dragon'
FARGESIA frigida	BORINDA frigidorum
FARGESIA fungosa	BORINDA fungosa
FARGESIA sp "A-4"	FARGESIA adpressa
Fargesia sp. 'rufa'	Fargesia dracocephala 'Rufa'
GELIDOCALAMUS fangianus	SAROCALAMUS fangianus
GIGANTOCHLOA atroviolacea 'Timor Black'	BAMBUSA lako
GIGANTOCHLOA luteostriata	BAMBUSA luteostriata
GIGANTOCHLOA verticillata	GIGANTOCHLOA pseudoarundinacea
Himalayacalamus asper	Himalayacalamus planatus
HIMALAYACALAMUS falconeri 'glomeratum'	DREPANOSTACHYUM falcatum 'var. sengteeanum'
HIMALAYACALAMUS intermedius	Yushania boliana
HIMALAYACALAMUS planatus	HIMALAYACALAMUS asper (hort.)
HIMALAYACALAMUS planatus	Neomicrocalamus microphyllus (hort.)
NEOMICROCALAMUS microphyllus	HIMALAYACALAMUS planatus
NEOSINOCALAMUS affinis	BAMBUSA emeiensis 'Chrysotrichus'
Otatea acuminata 'Mayan Silver'	Otatea glauca 'Mayan Silver'
OTATEA aztecorum	OTATEA acuminata ssp. aztecorum
PHYLLOSTACHYS cerata	PHYLLOSTACHYS heteroclada
PHYLLOSTACHYS congesta	PHYLLOSTACHYS atrovaginata
PHYLLOSTACHYS decora	PHYLLOSTACHYS mannii 'Decora'
PHYLLOSTACHYS heterocycla	PHYLLOSTACHYS edulis 'Heterocycla'
PHYLLOSTACHYS heterocycla pubescens	PHYLLOSTACHYS edulis
PHYLLOSTACHYS heterocycla pubescens 'Anderson'	PHYLLOSTACHYS edulis 'Anderson'
PHYLLOSTACHYS purpurata	PHYLLOSTACHYS heteroclada 'Purpurata'
PHYLLOSTACHYS purpurata 'Solidstem'	PHYLLOSTACHYS heteroclada 'Solidstem'
PHYLLOSTACHYS purpurata 'Straightstem'	PHYLLOSTACHYS heteroclada
PLEIOBLASTUS akibensis	PLEIOBLASTUS kongosanensis 'Akibensis'
PLEIOBLASTUS gramineus 'Raseetsu-chiku'	PLEIOBLASTUS gramineus 'Monstrispiralis'
PLEIOBLASTUS variegatus	PLEIOBLASTUS fortunei
Qiongzhuea tumidissinoda	Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda
SASA asahinae	SASA shimidzuana
SASA humilis	PLEIOBLASTUS humilis
SASA pygmaea	PLEIOBLASTUS pygmaeus
SASA tessellata	INDOCALAMUS tessellatus
SASA variegata	PLEIOBLASTUS fortunei
Sasa veitchii 'Minor'	Sasa hayatae
SASAELLA glabra 'Albostriata'	SASAELLA masamuneana 'Albostriata'
SASAELLA masamuneana rhyncantha	SASAELLA masamuneana
SASAELLA rhyncantha	SASAELLA masamuneana
SEMIARUNDINARIA villosa	SEMIARUNDINARIA okuboi
SINARUNDINARIA	FARGESIA
TETRAGONOCALAMUS angulatus	CHIMONOBAMBUSA quadranqularis
THAMNOCALAMUS spathaceus	FARGESIA murieliae
YUSHANIA aztecorum	OTATEA acuminata ssp. aztecorum

Common names

Garden books, gardeners, and landscapers frequently refer to bamboos by common names. To help you find corresponding botanical names, the following list includes some of the common names in use in the United States and their botanical equivalents. For additional common names in a variety of languages see: http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Bamboo_names.html

Japanese names

	Botanical name
Hachiku	Phyllostachys nigra ‘Henon’
Hoteichiku	Phyllostachys aurea
Kikkochiku	Phyllostachys edulis ‘Heterocycla’
Kumazasa	Sasa veitchii (not Shibataea kumasaca)
Kurochiku	Phyllostachys nigra
Madake	Phyllostachys bambusoides
Medake	Pleioblastus simonii
Moso	Phyllostachys edulis
Narihira	Semiarundinaria fastuosa
Okame-zasa	Shibataea kumasaca
Yadake	Pseudosasa japonica

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Chinese names

	Botanical name
Cha Gang zhu	Pseudosasa amabilis
Che Tong zhu	Bambusa sinospinosa
Fang zhu	Chimonobambusa quadrangularis
Fo du zhu	Bambusa ventricosa
Gui zhu	Phyllostachys bambusoides
Han zhu	Chimonobambusa marmorea
Hong Bian zhu	Phyllostachys rubromarginata
Hou zhu	Phyllostachys nidularia
Hui Xiang zhu	Chimonocalamus pallens
Jin zhu	Phyllostachys sulphurea
Ma zhu	Dendrocalamus latiflorus
Mao zhu	Phyllostachys edulis
Qiong zhu	Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda
Ren Mian zhu	Phyllostachys aurea
Shui zhu	Phyllostachys heteroclada
Wu Ya zhu	Phyllostachys atrovaginata
Xiang Nuo zhu	Cephalostachyum pergracile
Zi zhu	Phyllostachys nigra

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English names

	Botanical name
Arrow	Pseudosasa japonica
Beechey	Bambusa beecheyana
Blue	Himalayacalamus hookerianus
Black	Phyllostachys nigra
Buddha‘s Belly	Bambusa ventricosa
Candy Stripe or Candy cane	Himalayacalamus falconeri ‘Damarapa’
Canebrake	Arundinaria gigantea
Chinese Goddess	Bambusa multiplex ‘Riviereorum’
Chinese Thorny	Bambusa sinospinosa
Common	Bambusa vulgaris
Dwarf Fern Leaf	Pleioblastus distichus
Dwarf Whitestripe	Pleioblastus fortunei
Fernleaf	Bambusa multiplex ‘Fernleaf’
Fountain	Fargesia nitida
Giant Thorny	Bambusa bambos
Giant Timber	Bambusa oldhamii
Green Mountain	Yushania alpina
Golden	Phyllostachys aurea
Golden Golden	Phyllostachys aurea ‘Holochrysa’
“Heavenly Bamboo”	not a bamboo (Nandina domestica)
Hedge	Bambusa multiplex
Himalayan Blue	Himalayacalamus hookerianus
Horsehoof	Bambusa lapidea
Iron Range	Neololeba atra
Japanese Timber	Phyllostachys bambusoides
"Lucky Bamboo"	not a bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)
Male	Dendrocalamus strictus
Marbled	Chimonobambusa marmorea
Mexican Weeping	Otatea acuminata subsp. aztecorum
Monastery	Thyrsostachys siamensis
Oldham’s	Bambusa oldhamii
Painted	Bambusa vulgaris ‘Vittata’
Punting Pole	Bambusa tuldoides
River Cane	Arundinaria gigantea
Square	Chimonobambusa quadrangularis
Stone	Phyllostachys angusta & P. nuda
Sweetshoot	Phyllostachys dulcis
Switch Cane	Arundinaria tecta
Tea Stick	Pseudosasa amabilis
Temple	Semiarundinaria fastuosa
Timor Black	Bambusa lako
Tonkin Cane	Pseudosasa amabilis
Tortoise Shell	Phyllostachys edulis ‘Heterocycla’
Tropical Black	Gigantochloa atroviolacea
Umbrella	Fargesia murieliae
Water	Phyllostachys heteroclada
Weaver’s	Bambusa textilis
Wine	Oxytenanthera braunii
Yellow Groove	Phyllostachys aureosulcata

Credits for assistance

Very special thanks to Chris Stapleton. Dr. Stapleton is a renowned bamboo taxonomist and foremost expert on Old World montane bamboos. Dr. Stapleton brings a level of technical rigor to the Species List that would not otherwise be possible. We are greatly indebted to Dr. Stapleton for his assistance.

Bill Hollenback, Lead Source List Editor, has devoted countless hours to the Source List’s compilation, including online input design and implementation, database management, and the endless details of list compilation. Bill also maintains the online Source List and photographic database at http://www.BambooWeb.info/. Our special thanks to Bill for his instrumental efforts in making these important resources available to us.

Many other ABS members have contributed significantly to the Source List. Without the volunteer help of our members, this valuable resource would not be possible. Our thanks and appreciation to all who have contributed.

And finally, we also thank all those who have made suggestions for adjustments to the species listings and improvements to the Source List. Now is the time to submit your changes or suggestions for next year.

Ordering reprints

Copies of this list are available from some of the listed vendors, from some chapter offices, and from:

ABS Membership Office
315 S Coast Highway 101,
Suite U, PMB 212
Encinitas, CA 92024-3555

To order, please send $5.00 for each copy of the Source List (Price includes postage and handling). Volume discounts are only available on orders placed prior to publication.

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We hope that you find this publication useful and that it will encourage you to further explore the wonderful world of bamboo.

Bill Hollenback, Ted Jordan Meredith and Noah Bell
Source List Editors
(Source List compilation and editing)

Chris Stapleton
Species List Editor
(Species List nomenclature and taxonomy)