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Chinese Temple Bamboo

Sinobambusa tootsik (sy-no-bam-BOO-sa TOOT-sik)

Family: Poaceae Non-native Understory (15-40 ft)

A species of bamboo that can spread into other planting areas. Consider planting in a container, or hardscape walkway, sand moat, or another barrier can help as the plant may become aggressive. It prefers full sun but with some afternoon shade, rich, moist, well-drained soils. It works well as a screen or hedge or it can make a specimen statement. It is hard down to 15 degrees F.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 40 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
USDA zones
8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
24-60 feet
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Variegated; White
Leaf type
Sheath
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are narrow leathery.
Flower detail
It seldom produces flowers.
Fruit type
Caryopsis
Fruit detail
Grain-like caryopsis
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Culms are cylidrical sheaths 1 1/2" in diameter are dull olive green .
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China to Vietnam
Play value
Pieces Used in Games; Screening
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Caryopsis
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Vertical Spaces
Design feature
Hedge; Screen/Privacy
Garden tags
#privacy #bamboo #low maintenance #specimen #aggressive #container plant #playground plant #hedge #screen
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Erosion
Particularly resistant to
Verticillium Wilt
Propagation
Division

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.