WIKI SAYS: ... Phyllostachys edulis, the mōsō bamboo,[2] or tortoise-shell bamboo,[2] or mao zhu (Chinese: 毛竹; pinyin: máozhú), (Japanese: モウソウチク), (Chinese: 孟宗竹) is a temperate species of giant timber bamboo native to China and Taiwan.
And naturalised elsewhere, including Japan where it is widely distributed from south of Hokkaido to Kagoshima.[3] The edulis part of the Latin name refers to its edible shoots.
This bamboo can reach heights of up to 28 m (92 ft).[4] This particular species of bamboo is the most common species used in the bamboo textile industry of China and other countries,[5] for the production of rayon. Moso is less cold-hardy than many phyllostachys, surviving at a reduced height down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 °C).
When people talk about bamboo, they often speak in hyperbole, describing the plant’s astronomical growth rate and its mind-boggling variety of uses. In fact, there are some 1,500 different species and cultivars of bamboo with an enormous range of qualities and characteristics. Some are thin, wispy and ornamental, while others may be massive, thorny and industrial. But Moso Bamboo, also known as Phyllostachys edulis, is one species of bamboo worth raving about. [That is if you if you put to one side the fact that Moso is a running bamboo and is thus 'invasive'. Nonetheless if it is the bamboo that is FIT-FOR-PURPOSE it'll be the RIGHTplant in the RIGHTplace and thus NOT A WEED which is what sustainable PLACEmaking is all about in the end. Arguably Moso Bamboo is not one of the many species of bamboo that has all that many 'places' in an urban streetscape or all that many civic settings ... HORSES FOR COURSE!].
Phyllostachys edulis, better known as Moso Bamboo, is a prevalent species of timber bamboo, native to China and Taiwan. Widely used in the production of flooring, textiles and building materials, Moso is arguably the most economically important bamboo species in the world. In ideal conditions, this giant grass can grow three feet a day and reach 100 feet tall. The scientific name, Phyllostachys edulis, means something like ‘edible bamboo’. But until recently it had been listed as Phyllostachys pubescens, meaning ‘hairy bamboo’. The common name, Moso, comes from the Chinese mao zhu, which also means hairy bamboo.
[ Given Moso's INDUSTRIALutility, and in the in lutruwita Tasmania circumstance in that context this variety needs a longer and more critical look. It is especially so given all that it has to offer in regard to developing a sustainable bamboo TIMBERindustry in lutruwita Tasmania. A key consideration needs to be the PRODUCTmiles Moso would clock up if it is imported into lutruwita Tasmania.]
Moso is nothing new, but in recent years it has sparked a revolution in agriculture, textiles and construction. When you hear about bamboo clothing and bamboo flooring, these are products of Moso. When you see bamboo scaffolding on skyscrapers in Hong Kong and China, it’s very likely Moso. And when people speak of bamboo growing two or three feet a day, Moso is one of the varieties that can actually do that. (See our article on Giant Bamboo to learn more.)
This article — first published in June 2019 and last updated in September 2024 — is part of an ongoing series about selected bamboo species. Take a look at some of these other pages to learn more.
- Directory of Bamboo Species
- Bambusa balcooa for better biomass
- Black bamboo
- Borinda fungosa: Chocolate bamboo
- Chimonobambusa quadrangularis: Square bamboo
- Dendrocalamus asper: Giant bamboo
- Golden bamboo
- Hiroshima bamboo
- Semiarundinaria fastuosa: Temple bamboo
Black Bamboo: Phyllostachys nigra and others
Black bamboo remains one of the most popular varieties of bamboo. And it comes as no surprise. Black is beautiful, after all. But the world of bamboo is vast and mysterious. This subfamily of grasses includes something like 1,500 or more species and cultivars (subspecies), and more than one of them is black. So which species of grass do we refer to as Black Bamboo?
Phyllostachys nigra is the species that we most commonly designate as black bamboo. Native to China and Taiwan, this is a temperate, cold-hardy bamboo in the Arundinarieae tribe, with vigorously running rhizome roots. It also has a popular subspecies, P. nigra ‘Henon’, a timber bamboo that’s more grayish-green than black. In the tropics and subtropics, you can find Timor black (Bambusa lako), Java black (Gigantochloa atroviolacea) and Black asper (Dendrocalamus asper ‘Hitam’). These clumping varieties are more impressive but poorly suited for non-tropical climates.
In the following article, we’ll take a closer look at these various species of black bamboo, their distinct characteristics, and the pros and cons of including them in your garden. CLICK HERE TO GO TO SOURCE
NOTE: This article first appeared in January 2021, most recently updated in October 2024.
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Why grow black bamboo?
Most people probably have a pretty specific idea of what bamboo looks like, yet the plant actually comes in an enormous variety of sizes, shapes and colours. Like most vegetation, bamboo has green leaves. But the stems, or culms, of a bamboo plant can be deep green, buttery yellow, blue, gray, or even magenta. Some of the most attractive bamboos have stripes on their culms. And of course, there’s black bamboo.
If you only have one bamboo plant in your garden, black bamboo might not be your first choice. If you have several, however, then adding a black species for a bit of variety is a great idea [just so long as its 'running habit is curbed/contained] . The contrast of black bamboo poles amidst a grove of greens and yellows can produce a striking effect.
Even so, black bamboo does look beautiful on its own. [AGAIN ... just so long as its 'running habit is curbed/contained] Because of its bright green foliage, you already get that sense of contrast just between the leaves and the culms. To really highlight the beauty of your exotic specimen, you can try training some small spotlights on them. The nighttime lighting, shining up from below, can really showcase the vibrant colours and create interesting shadows on your bamboo.
In addition to beautifying your garden, [black bamboo can also be harvested and its 'materiality used in the making of domestic and civic cultural products such as furniture]. Even if you have no woodworking skills, you can gather a few canes of bamboo in a tall, oriental vase and stand them in a corner for a dash of Feng Shui. Or use a pole for something as simple as a curtain rod etc. And with [more developed making skills, one can make wicker work /baskets etc., wind chimes, frames, bamboo 'installation' cum sculptural works. Arguably, this aspect of bamboo's materiality is all to often down played]
The 'BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL' factor should not be trivialised as the 'MAKING, MAKING, MATTER MORE' factor should become an important factor in future ECOsustainability mind sets.
Therefore, being aware of the 'LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR'S' CULTURALcargo that came with the 'industrialisation of production' . Arguably, there is a need to think more critically about the current economic cum political status quo mindsets, and that may well mean that more and closer attention is paid CULTURALlandscaping.
There is a proverb that goes ... The proper way is that straight and narrow pathway that leads all the way to the gates of mediocrity.
All this might well be a factor in people's future wellbeing and our decisions to do things like acknowledge, honour even, the sensibilities attached to BLACKbamboo. As the BLACKbamboo that will grow in lutruwita Tasmania is a running bamboo, might we give up too much to 'industrial status quoism' if we just put it aside given all that it offers!?
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