Golden Bamboo 120/150cm 10L pot Phyllostachys aureocaulis

Phyllostachys aureum

Golden Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea), also called Fishpole Bamboo, is an excellent choice for a low maintenance, tall hedge. As with most Bamboo species, Golden Bamboo grows to height exceptionally quickly and its strong growth makes it an ideal plant for creating a tall, screening hedge with good sound reducing qualities also. When grown in full sun, the young green canes of Golden Bamboo gradually develop with age to become attractive, lemony-yellow canes with green stripes. However, in good sunlight the canes become a more more intense golden-yellow in colour, providing a wonderful contrast to the pale, golden-green foliage.

Planting Phyllostachys aurea in your garden will bring a touch of the orient creating a more exotic and modern aesthetic than a more traditional hedge plant. Unlike most traditional hedging plants, the tall, cane stems and long fluttery leaves also add dynamic movement in the breeze. It's also more distinctive than other bamboo varieties due to the crowded nodes at the base of the plant.

This variety is not cosidered as vigorous or spreading in the UK climate as Black Bamboo and Green Bamboo and will achieve the same height with very little to no invasion, predominantly clumping rather than running.

In good conditions Golden Bamboo plants will grow up to 6m tall. To achieve their full height, they like a moist soil so we recommend planting them slightly below ground level (just an inch or two) so that there's a dish around the canes to hold some rainwater.

Golden Bamboo plants can take a year or two to fully settle and they need to be watered well until they are established and fed alternate years in late spring after the first shoots have reached full height. They prefer sun or semi shade and will grow by 60/90cm pa.

For alternatives to Golden Bamboo, see the 'also recommended' list below. However, if you still need help to decide which hedge is the right one for you, we'd recommend that you visit our Choosing the Right Species page which has suggestions and alternatives for every situation.