Phyllostachys heteroclada - Giant Bamboo

Phyllostachys heteroclada is a particularly valuable bamboo for wet and poorly drained areas. It is one of the few species capable of thriving in these difficult conditions, to the extent that in China, its country of origin, it is nicknamed the water bamboo. Very elegant and of medium size, it displays a slender habit with its thin green culms, slightly pruinose at first. Its fine foliage, also green, gracefully droops, capturing the wind to come to life at the first opportunity. Hardy, it grows in neutral to acidic soils, in full sun or partial shade, and can form beautiful clumps in isolation or windbreak hedges.

This bamboo belongs to the family Poaceae, or grasses. While some species can reach tens of metres in height and form hard, wood-like culms, they are not trees, but grasses. There are over a thousand species of bamboo, distributed on all continents except Antarctica.

Phyllostachys heteroclada is native to China, where it grows south of the Yangtze River, in forests and along streams that descend from the mountains. Its vernacular name, shui zhu, literally means water (shui) bamboo (zhu), which reflects its ability to grow in waterlogged soils. It is the best species (along with P. atrovaginata) for these difficult situations, because contrary to popular belief, bamboo likes coolness and humidity in general, but not waterlogged soils. This species owes this resistance to a morphological peculiarity: its rhizomes are traversed by air canals that allow the plant to breathe in conditions that are normally suffocating for other species. This enables it to withstand fairly long periods of excess water, even though, on the other hand, it is perfectly capable of growing in better-drained soil, as long as it remains sufficiently cool, especially in summer.
It belongs to the category of medium-sized bamboo, reaching 4 to 7m (13 to 23ft) in height. Its culms have a beautiful green colour, slightly pruinose when young. Their limited diameter, 3 to 5cm (1 to 2in), gives them a grace and lightness that are appreciated in ornamental gardens. This Phyllostachys forms an upright clump and develops rather fine foliage, with leaves measuring up to 12cm (5in) long and less than 2cm (1in) wide. With a beautiful medium green colour, this foliage is slightly weeping, adding to the aesthetic appeal of the clumps. Very dense and evergreen, it is particularly appreciated for creating windbreak hedges.
This robust bamboo is not afraid of the cold, as it can withstand -20°C (1°F). It is rather adaptable, growing in full sun as well as partial shade. It prefers fertile, humus-rich, moist soils with a neutral or slightly acidic pH. It has a moderate spread, making it suitable for gardens of a certain size where it can develop without hindrance. In smaller areas, it is possible to contain it by installing "anti-rhizome barriers" from the time of planting, which are resin plates planted vertically in the ground. It is imperative to have them protrude from the soil by about 10cm (4in), otherwise the rhizomes will easily pass over them. However, it should be noted that over time, it is difficult to completely prevent the spread of this type of plant...

Phyllostachys heteroclada is the bamboo to plant by a body of water or on a bank. By reflecting in the water mirror, it creates an incomparable romantic atmosphere. You can plant other plants adapted to very wet soils alongside it, such as the majestic Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) whose pneumatophores ensure it receives air in the same way as the air canals in the bamboo rhizomes. It is one of the few deciduous conifers, whose beautiful light foliage turns reddish in autumn, creating a magnificent contrast with the green of the Phyllostachys. Less well-known, Nyssa sylvatica is a superb tree with a pyramidal habit, whose foliage turns orange-red in autumn. In not too cold climates, Gunnera manicata or Giant Brazilian Rhubarb, a perennial with oversized leaves, will create an interesting contrast with the bamboo's fine leaves. And to perfect this scene, a few Water Lilies planted in the water near the bank will enchant the summer with their sculptural flowering...