Best qualities of the Phyllostachys humilis bamboo: The Scottish Bamboo is a mini running bamboo with lush evergreen foliage forming on the culms from the ground up, an excellent hedge and privacy screening option. This bamboo grows exceptionally well in confined spaces and is common in Japanese Gardens, an RHS Merit Award winner for its unique features.
Phyllostachys humilis bamboo features
- Identification: Phyllostachys humilis, Scottish Bamboo.
- Site: Grows well in full sun or partial shade.
- Soil: Well-drained clay, sand or loam soil.
- Uses: Privacy screen, pots and containers, grows well in confined spaces.
- Temperature hardiness: Hardy to – 25 degrees Celsius.
- Height: small bamboo 3 – 5m.
- Spread: 3m
- Foliage: Evergreen dense foliage
- Culm colour: Bright green
Grow Phyllostachys Humilis
The Phyllostachys humilis is also called the Scottish Bamboo. At 5m, it is small compared to the other Phyllostachys bamboos.
An outstanding small bamboo plant, its green dense foliage starts from the ground up. The slender cluster of outer leaves can be pruned to give a compacted and impenetrable screen.
Although the Scottish Bamboo is running variety and grow along the horizontal stem (rhizomes), it behaves like clump-forming bamboo in a cooler temperate climate.
Buy Bamboo Humilis Scottish Bamboo
The Scottish Bamboo Humilis (Phyllostachys Humilis) makes an ideal plant for contained spaces. In fact, it will do well in pots and containers or in confined garden spaces.
As mentioned earlier, the tough dense foliage is tolerant to pruning. Neatly trimmed, the dense evergreen foliage will form a compacted small screen or hedge, best for small balconies, terraces or spaces.
If you are looking for bamboo to provide a thick hedge or a natural privacy screen, look no further than the Phyllostachys humilis Scottish Bamboo.
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Scottish Bamboo Care
The Scottish Bamboo is a low-maintenance bamboo, the mature plants are undemanding.
This miniature running bamboo will thrive where there is well-drained loamy soil, high in moisture and nutrient contents. Like most bamboo plants in the UK, they do not grow well in compacted soil.
A hardy plant, the Scottish Bamboo can withstand temperatures of – 25 degrees Celsius, but lower temperatures can damage the plant.
Pruning Scottish Bamboo
The leaves are rich green in direct sun but turn light green where there is less light. For the best result, grow then in areas where there is plenty of light or in part shade. They will struggle to grow where there is heavy shade.
The majority of the Phyllostachys bamboo plants are not tolerant to pruning because of the thinning of the leaves up the culms. However, the Phyllostachys Humilis Scottish Bamboo is one of the few bamboos that you can prune to give the best effect.
They are best for screening and hedging.
Propagating Scottish Bamboo
Although the Phyllostachys Humilis Scottish Bamboo is a low maintenance plant, the new growth will require care and attention. Slugs can wipe off the fresh leaves in one visit if left unprotected.
If you are propagating bamboo either from the rhizome or culm cuttings or planting a recent purchase, protect the new growths by adding Slug and Snail Killer.
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Feeds and Fertilisers | |
Rhizomes/Roots Barrier | |
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Check out the featured bamboo plants in the UK, including the Phyllostachys Humilis Scottish Bamboo and other award winners.
- Merit Award Winners.
- Chinese Bamboo plants.
- Featured Bamboo plants in the UK.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me know in the comment section below. I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Oh WOW, didn’t know the Scottish Bamboo is a running bamboo plant but behaves like a clump-forming bamboo plant.
Thank you for this info – will surely try it out!