Yes, Canadians can grow bamboo

MARJORIE HARRIS

DIG THIS

Bamboo is a hot commodityin today's design world. It's

being used for everything fromsustainable flooring to sculpturaldecor elements to the handles ofchic handbags. But how manyCanadians realize it can be grownin their gardens?

Jim Lounsbery has been growingbamboo for 25 years at his nurseryin Vineland, Ont. He's learnedwhat it can do in our climate andwhat it can't. He cautionsgardeners not to have expectationsbased on European books andmagazines. Our cooler climate andshorter growing season will meanthe plants won't be as lush or growthat high — except if you live inBritish Columbia, of course. Infact, one of the best information

sites on this plant is the B.C.-basedwww.bambooworld.com (or call604-596-2090).

There are two types of bamboo:dumpers and spreaders. If youhave acres of space, choose aspreader. But this can be veryinvasive, and Lounsbery suggeststhat you contain it. A Rubbermaidgarbage can sunk into the groundis effective in Ontario, but inBritish Columbia a one-metrebarrier of concrete is more like it.

Bamboo is a grass and, like allgrasses, it grows quickly and needsa lot of nitrogen. Ordinary grassfertilizer will work, but Lounsberyprefers a humus-rich mulch about10 centimetres thick. Thefascinating leaves must be left onthe ground since they contain asilica that is like a hit of Aspirin forthe plant. Most bamboos thrive inthe sun, but Lounsbery says theyare just fine in partial shade. He isalso convinced that bambooplanted from now untilmidsummer will probably dobetter than autumn-plantedbamboo. Last winter was a primeexample. It was harsh and hisbamboos were wiped out at the top,but those with well-estab-

lished roots have come backluxuriantly from the base.

A major misconception aboutbamboo concerns the amount ofwater it needs. It looks perfect by apond and likes moist soil. Butbamboos can't stand in water —they'll either drown or their growthwill be inhibited.

Know the Latin name if you havea special bamboo in mind, andacquire a minimum of lingo. Forinstance, you should know that aculm — as in "My bamboo hasblack culms" — is the jointed stemthat makes bamboo look likebamboo.

Phyllostachys are the most easilyavailable of the spreaders, or"runners," which can be killed tothe ground but pop up again inspring. They will grow from 2.4 to24 metres in about 10 years, but ifyou whack at the culms, you cankeep them at the height you want.

In Europe, black bamboo is thedesigner choice. Phyllostachys ni-gra will need protection even inZone 6 (heavily mulched), but theblack culms are stunning. Alsostriking is Pyllostachys bambu-soides "Castillon," which has a

bright yellow stalk with a lime-green stripe, and is hardy to minus

18.Clumpers grow slowly from the

main root system. They are moredifficult to propagate and thereforea little more expensive.

Bamboos aren't cheap. They cancost from about $60 upward intothe hundreds for the rarest forms ofdumpers. But in the right spot, it'sworth the price. I've seen peopleuse the golden bamboo(Phyllostachys aurea) to disguise anugly-looking brick wall, or in acombination with the tall,sweeping zebra grass (Miscanthussinensis Zebrinus) beside a gracefulrock for a stunning and unusualtreatment at the corner of thehouse. I can't think of a bettercontainer plant for a balcony ordeck to get a rather dreamy Orientallook. And how they filter light ismagic.

Jim Lounsbery will hold aw o r k s h o p c a l l e d B e a u t i f u lBamboos at the Civic GardenCentre in Toronto on June 16. Call416-397-1340 to reserve.

Marjorie Harris is the editor-in-chief of Gardening Life magazine.

Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Castillon': Gorgeous bamboovariety is hardy to minus 18 degrees.