Phyllostachys flexuosa (Sinuate Bamboo) is stunning bamboo with yellow and green culms, slender arching branches and evergreen foliage. This running bamboo is also known as Sinuate Bamboo or Qiuganzhu.
Landscapers may find Phyllostachys flexuosa useful as this bamboo is low maintenance and ideal for privacy screening and hedging. This is an invasive running bamboo and therefore a root barrier should be used to contain its spread.
General description
- Name: Phyllostachys flexuosa, Sinuate Bamboo, Qiuganzhu.
- Foliage: Evergreen, slender leaves.
- Culm: Arching canes, yellow canes with green stripes.
- Height: 6 m, arching broad branches.
- Spread: Running bamboo, invasive.
Growth requirement
- Site: Part shade to full sun.
- Soil: Well-drained soil, moist.
- Hardiness: – 10 to –5 degrees Celsius, UK H4.
- Use: Screening, hedging – low maintenance plant but invasive.
Grow bamboo Phyllostachys flexuosa (Sinuate Bamboo)
Cultivate in contained spaces: Phyllostachys flexuosa can grow to 6 metres and spread 2 metres. IT may not grow to its maximum height and spread when grown in contained spaces. Use large heavy-duty container pots to grow this timber bamboo.
Note that the new shoots in the second, third and successive years will be reasonably taller than the first shoots. So, do not be surprised if your Phyllostachys flexuosa is taller than an average Phyllostachys bamboo in the container pots.
This running bamboo will definitely require repotting within 3 – 5 years.
Cultivate in the garden: Phyllostachys flexuosa’s evergreen foliage, arching stems and elongated branches are ideal for creating a calm and serene atmosphere outdoors or in the garden.
It is also a preferable bamboo for privacy screens and hedging.
Perhaps it is important to note that the Phyllostachys flexuosa (Sinuate Bamboo) is an invasive bamboo, therefore building a bamboo barrier prior to planting it in the garden is the best thing to do.
Like the other running bamboos, the Sinuate Bamboo prefers well-drained, moist soil.
Read about the Best Soil for Growing Bamboo
Loam soil for growing bamboo cuttings
Propagate running bamboo Phyllostachys flexuosa
Many UK bamboo growers use Rhizome Cuttings to propagate the running bamboo successfully. You can also use Culm Cuttings or Bamboo Seeds to propagate Phyllostachys flexuosa.
Seeds are often hard to find because bamboos rarely flower. If you are lucky to have a rare bamboo seed, take extra care to grow them. Here is the step-by-step guide on How to Grow Bamboo from Seeds.
Bamboo care: thin, prune, mulch, fertiliser and slugs
Bamboos, like other plants, will require attention to grow well. Below are the 5 bamboo care and maintenance tips and best practices for healthy bamboo growth.
The tips are important when growing large running bamboos like the Phyllostachys flexuosa (Sinuate Bamboo), especially in the garden.
Slugs and Snails Killer | |
Feeds and Fertilisers | |
Rhizomes/Roots Barrier | |
Heavy Duty Pots and Planters |
- Thinning bamboo plants once or twice a year to promote new growths and keep the plant under control. Selectively trim the old culms that you do not want within the bamboo grove. The new shoots will grow back thick and fast.
- Pruning bamboo is intensive work compared to thinning bamboo. Dig and remove the parts of the bamboo that have outgrown the allocated space. This is an ideal time to take the bamboo divisions for replanting.
- Mulching is a highly recommended care and maintenance job. It keeps the soil moist and protects the bamboo from frost and frozen soils. The bamboo leaves are fantastic mulch since they contain silicon which is naturally high in nitrogen. In addition, tree barks or other organic mulch rich in moisture are good for bamboo plants. The best time for mulching is early in Spring before the new bamboo shoots come out; or late in Autumn when you expect cold Winter.
- Bamboos do not need fertilisers regularly, but the old plants will benefit from the added nutrients. Add fertiliser to plants that are older than 5 years at least once a year. The NPK fertilisers or any that is high in nitrogen are ideal options.
- The large bamboos are pretty tolerant to pests, however, slugs will eat the tender shoots and leaves. If you are planting a new Phyllostachys flexuosa or expecting fresh growth in Spring, add Slug and Snail Pellets to protect them.
Buy Phyllostachys Bamboos in the UK
Phyllostachys flexuosa bamboo is ideal for a mini bamboo forest, woodland, botanical garden or tall privacy screen. It is also edible bamboo, you can grow in the large heavy-duty container pots and enjoy the shoots.
Here are some great places where you can buy the running and clumping bamboos in the UK. If bamboo is not available, please contact the Garden Shops directly or message us. Alternatively, check the 5 options for Timber Bamboos just below this table.
Bamboo Plants and Supplies | UK Suppliers |
Bamboo Collections | |
Fargesia Bamboo Plants | |
Black, Green & Yellow Bamboo Plants | |
Bamboo-based Eco Products | |
Best Hand Tools for Digging Bamboo | |
Phyllostachys Bamboo Plants |
(Note that we do not sell or receive any payment at Garden Bamboo Plants, G.B.P. We’re a bamboo website focusing on providing the right information and linking our UK visitors to the well-known and reputable online shops. Our Disclaimer)
Bamboos similar to Phyllostachys flexuosa
Finding the right Phyllostacys Bamboo at the local nursery or garden centre can be tricky. Therefore, we list 5 other bamboos that are similar to the ‘Phyllostachys flexuosa’.
The similarities are based on 5 important factors: the type (either running or clumping), height, foliage, hardiness and use. Details for each bamboo can be found through this link, click for more information.
- Phyllostachys Parvifolia Running Bamboo
- Golden Chinese Bamboo Vivax Aureocaulis
- Edulis Moso Bamboo Phyllostachys Pubescens
- Giant Timber Bamboo Phyllostachys Bambusoides
- Black Bamboo Phyllostachys Nigra
Phyllostachys atrovaginata (Incense Edible Bamboo)
Phyllostachys flexuosa (Sinuate Bamboo, Qiuganzhu)
All in all, Phyllostachys flexuosa is a fantastic bamboo for privacy screens and hedging. Root barriers are necessary for growing this bamboo.
At G.B.P, our goal is to provide the right information for selecting the right bamboo to grow in the garden and in pots and containers.
Based on our experience, we also offer bamboo growers’’ tips and guides on how to provide the right care and maintenance for bamboo plants. You can see most of our work on YouTube LINK.