Not sure if there is a native bamboo (?) that meets my criteria, but here goes:

1. Fast growing - 3 metres in 12 months would be great :)
2. Non-invasive
3. Able to be cut back if it gets out of control
4. Total height 3-6 metres
5. Able to handle full (Qld) sun to part shade

Forgive my ignorance in this area, but the only thing I've seen that resembles bamboo in the nurseries is Nandina, and that isnt even remotely large enough for a screen. Bamboo has such an ugly reputation in the tropics that I suspect most nurseries wont touch it, yet I see it repeatedly in photos of tropical gardens.

Thanks,

Artie

Regards, Ari :)

There a native one but I dont know its name, my neighbour has a lovely fine bushy one its about 2mts, have a look at the link below plenty on it with the height you are after, just look up their Catalogue. Another site is www.bambooworld.com.au

MM.

Thanks for the feedback, but I'm afraid that I dont have the room for Arnhemica (the other two native varieties seem equally out of place in a suburban garden, from the photos I've seen ). I followed MM's suggestion and paid $25 for a 200mm pot of B. Oldhamii : even though the height on the tag reads '12m', I was assured that it will only grow to half that size in my garden.

Reading the handy liftout that came with the plant (Tropicals Rockhampton (or 'The Flower Box') on Richardson Road), it seems well suited to life adjacent to my palms - if anything, it looks like the bamboo needs even more fertiliser and moisture. Probably the total antithesis of what I'm trying to achieve in my predominately native garden, but I am determined that my tropical 'room' will have the right feel to it - c'est la vie.

Cheers,

Artie

I have all but B.arnhemica, Ari !!! how are you going?

All species but B.moreheadiana are clumping.

B.forbesii is very attractive with large broad leaves-most tropical of the four.

S.sp Murray Island is very compact and surprisingly tolerates cold, even when it originates from the Torres Strait! It is forms a dense clump and is best in the tropics and subtropics.

from Kris

MM.

Andrew.

Mine had a very constricted rootball when I took it out of the pot - I dont know much about bamboo, but I couldnt leave it in that state, so I did my best to loosen some of the main roots so that they could get out into the soil. Time will tell if I have done the right thing.

It proved too hard for me so I got my hubby to help and between the two of us and a huge crowbar we managed to seperate another stem, and those and the parent plant that we took them from are coming along fine and 9 weeks later they are covered in green leaves so I reckon they will be ok just keep the water up to them for a few weeks. Here is a Pic of the off shoot its the thin one in the middle and is 7ft tall.

MM.

Perception is a hard thing to shake, and I can relate to his fears : I disposed of my young Crepe Myrtle on the weekend after reading that they sucker readily. If only I'd known that when I bought the thing 8 or so months ago.

MM.

I like 'Sacred Bali' (Schizostachyzum brachycladum) for its butter yellow semi translucent culms, however due to the thin walls of the culms it is not a strong enough for use as a wind break. Timor Black (Bambusa Lako), Slender Weavers are also very nice.

Scott

Scott