Red Bamboo - 7 Options You Will Love

Do you want a colorful and original garden? Go for bamboo with red reeds! The contrast with the green of its evergreen foliage will be a beautiful sight!

Most of the time, the canes (or stems) of these bamboos are not red throughout the year. Depending on the variety, the stems sometimes turn red in the sun, other times in the cold, or even in summer.

Here you have 7 red bamboos for every use: small or large, as individual specimens, in flower beds, in hedges, in pots on a veranda or even on flats. You have a lot to choose from!

Semiarundinaria yashadake 'Kimmei' or 'Red Bamboo'

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The Semiarundinaria yashadake 'Kimmei' or 'Red Bamboo' is named for its slender stems, red from the first frost. In spring, the stems are yellow with some green streaks, then turn coppery yellow before turning red in fall. The young reeds of the year are then bright red, while the old ones are copper red. The contrast formed with its evergreen foliage, sometimes splashed with yellow, is magnificent.

• Bamboo of medium size, upright habit with a drooping top, Semiarundinaria yashadake 'Kimmei' reaches 3 to 4 m high at maturity.
• In open ground, it is planted as massive, isolated or hedge.
• It can also be grown in pots, outdoors.
• The Semiarundinaria yashadake 'Kimmei' accepts the sun or partial shade.
• Rustic, withstands temperatures down to -18ºC.
• It is a low-size bamboo, which nevertheless requires the placing a root barrier to avoid any worries.

Good to know: to bring out the canes and their splendid colors, feel free to prune the foliage to a certain height.

Installation of a rhizome barrier

Semiarundinaria fastuosa, especially ornamental

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The Lavish semiarundinaria stands out for its ornamental qualities: its large and upright stems turn purple when exposed to the sun, contrasting very well with its flexible foliage of large evergreen leaves.

• Of spectacular columnar habit and very compact appearance, this bamboo reaches 5 to 8 m high at maturity.
• Thrive on medium shade, but also enjoy full sun and it is very resistant to drought.
• Therefore, it is a species that can be grown anywhere in the world.
• It can withstand temperatures down to -22ºC in winter.
• The Lavish semiarundinaria can be grown as an isolated bed, but is especially suitable for forming a shade hedge and windbreak, even by the sea.
• However, the installation of a root barrier is absolutely necessary.

Good to know: the young stalks of Lavish semiarundinaria they are edible.

Protect your garden from the wind

Semiarundinaria makinoï, easy to grow

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When exposed to light, its stems turn purple. Its evergreen foliage is especially dense and offers the peculiarity of forming groups of thick bushes around the stems, forming a kind of pompom.

• An easy-to-grow bamboo, Makinoï semiarundinaria reaches of 3 to 5 m high at maturity.
• With an elegant columnar habit, this bamboo grows very well in pots, without its roots being too invasive.
• However, if you plant it in the ground, installing a root barrier is still preferable.
• It adapts to all conditions. Undemanding about the soil, likes the sun or half shade and it is resistant to winds, even cold ones, it is rustic down to -20 °.

Good to know: a hedge by Semiarundinaria makinoi it is both an insurmountable barrier and an effective windbreaker.

Design a garden by the sea

Fargesia nitida 'Volcano', ideal for growing in pots

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Its dense, glossy evergreen foliage forms a striking contrast to its purple reeds.

• The Fargesia nitida 'Volcano' is a small upright bamboo, of 1 to 1.50 m high.
• This little bamboo is non-creeping and fairly slow growing, like all Fargesia. Therefore, it is ideal for growing in a pot, on a balcony or terrace.
• In the garden, it can be used in a flower bed, as an isolated specimen or to form a low privacy hedge.
• To Fargesia nitida 'Volcano' likes him so much sun as partial shade.
• Very resistantIt can withstand temperatures down to -23 ° C in winter.

Good to know: installation of a rhizome barrier is not necessary.

Potted bamboo

Fargesia jiuzhaigou 'Red Panda', with bluish-green leaves

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The Fargesia Jiuzhaigou in its version 'Red Panda', also known as Fargesia nitida Jiuzhaigou 1, has a very dense evergreen foliage, distinguished by its elegant and fine bluish-green leaves. However, this bamboo stands out for its stems that are first green, then orange and turn purple in summer.

• It is a small bamboo with a very elegant upright habit, which reaches about 2 to 3 m high and 2 m wide.
• Like all Fargesia, it is a bamboo not creeping, which can be grown in open ground, without root barrier. They can be grown as a single specimen, in flowerbeds or in hedges.
• Pot cultivation is also possible.
• Very resistant, the Fargesia Jiuzhaigou 'Red Panda' supports winter temperatures down to -25ºC ..
• Preferably give it a fresh and rich soil and exposure to partial shade or sun.

Good to know: in the south of France, plant this bamboo rather in semi-shade.

See the Bamboo Files

Fargesia nitida 'Red Dragon', small non-creeping bamboo

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The Fargesia nitida 'Red Dragon' has a very dense evergreen foliage, distinguished by its thin bluish-green leaves, like that of the Fargesia Jiuzhaigou 'Red panda'. Its stems are striking: sometimes yellow-orange, sometimes red.

• It is a small bamboo, about 2 to 3 m high and 2 m wide.
• It is a tussock bamboo (not creeping), which does not require the installation of a rhizome barrier.
• On the ground, it is equally suitable on isolated subjects, in beds or in hedges.
• It is also easily grown in pots, reaching a height of approximately 1.50 m.
• To Fargesia nitida 'Red dragon' doesn't like the sun very much and it's better in half shade.
• Rustic, withstands temperatures down to -20ºC in winter.
• Also offers good resistance to wind and drought.

Good to know: it is possible to find reeds of different colors on the same foot at the same time!

Planting bamboo in your garden

Himalayacalamus asper, collectible bamboo

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The Himalayacalamus asper, also known as Tibetan princess, is a collectible bamboo. Its finely trimmed evergreen foliage is very elegant. It is crowned with green, fine and perfectly cylindrical canes, They turn burgundy red in the sun, from spring to summer.

• It is especially decorative, 4 to 5 m high.
• In the garden, the Himalayacalamus asper it can be used as a solitary specimen on a lawn, where it will look great.
• How is a bamboo of type grassy (not traceable), does not require the installation of a root barrier.
• Although it accepts an exposure in half shade, it is in the sun when the reeds will take on their beautiful dark red coloration.
• The rusticity of this bamboo is not well known, so it is preferable to plant it in regions with less severe winters or grow it on a veranda, or on a flat. In fact, as it is not creeping, it is perfectly adapted to growing in a pot, where it will probably not exceed 2 m.

Bamboo for the balcony

Anything else

If you especially like bamboo, here are other species that could do wonders in your garden:

• Discover the sacred bamboo;
• The giant bamboo;
• Or the lucky bamboo!

And for your bamboo to thrive to the fullest, discover bamboo compost.