Bamboo in Houston (Z9)

[deniseandspike]

I hope someone has a suggestion for a clumping bamboo I can plant along my fenceline to give me a little privacy from the neighbors. I'm surrounded on my small city lot by ten old pecan trees so all I have to look at is bark on a large trunk--nothing at eye level. Hubby wants bamboo and saw some pictures of giant timber bamboo and really liked it--he read that it clinks together when it's windy outside and sounds nice. Unfortunately, from what I've looked at it seems the larger the culm the taller it grows. I only want something that gets around 12-15 ft tall or less.

Do you have a suggestion for a large culm bamboo that stays that height? Here's a pic of the area I want to plant in--between the chain link fence and the concrete patio (the waxleaf ligustrum will be severely cut back or removed to make way for a patio cover at the end).

Thanks for any suggestions.

De

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v452/ ... Patio1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting">

[Roy]

.............. I only want something that gets around 12-15 ft tall or less.

Do you have a suggestion for a large culm bamboo that stays that height? ...........).

Thanks for any suggestions.

De

De,

I don't know of any bamboo that has large diameter culms and only grows 12-15 feet tall. About the only clumpling bamboo you are going to find that is going to be cold tolerant for your area and gets to about your height requirements is B. m. 'Golden Goddess'.

<img src="http://www.bambooweb.info/images/bamboo ... ddess9.jpg" alt="BAMBUSA multiplex 'Golden Goddess'">

[deniseandspike]

Is the clumping variety less cold hardy than the running kind? The POs had planted running bamboo on the other side of the yard and when we moved in I had to get it hacked down to the ground because it was threatening to take over the yard. It didn't seem to have any problem surviving the winter or the shade of my trees (although I killed it easily enough by snapping off it's head every time it poked out of the ground).

The one you show is really pretty and would probably work in my space if I keep it trimmed. I guess I'll have to get hubby some bamboo windchimes so he can listen to them clack instead.

Thanks for the info.

De

[Joseph Clemens]

If you're handy with a pruning saw or large sharp lopers, any bamboo that can be grown in your climate can be maintained at any height you desire by simply trimming the culms to the height you desire, they will still achieve nearly the same diameter culms that they would without the trim and yet the culms once trimmed will never grow any taller. I too am in zone 9 and one nice clumper that I am growing here is Bambusa oldhamii. It is a clumping timber bamboo and grows well here in zone 9.