PlantFiles: Hedge Bamboo
Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr'

Planting nearly anything is a challenge in the Greater Phoenix area with our very poor, caliche filled soil. I planted one 5 gallon, 5 foot tall Alphonse Karr in May of 2007 after preparing a 16' long x 2' wide x 3' deep trench along a south wall that was dug, sifted and admended. I separated the bamboo into 3 sections and now in Nov of 2008 the new shoots are exceeding 8 feet in height and the clumps have grown from a dozen shoots to about 30 each that are twice the originals diameter. I pruned out the original skinny shoots in July of 2008. The bamboo is intended to produce a 10 foot high plus living privacy screen and to block the neighbors porch light and it is well on its way. I am in process of extending the trench to 32 feet and adding another separted bamboo to the additional trench in the Spring of 2009. In mid Summer, make sure you don't let the soil dry out or the new growth will stop at the height it is at the that time and you will have to wait for the next round of new shoots.

A great bamboo. Very easy, fast growing, tight clumper. Culms are a beautiful yellow with green stripes. They can have pink and orange hues, especially when young. I trim the node branches off on the first four feet or so of the culms to really show them off. The leaves are deep green & dense. Mealy bugs can be a problem. They get in the branches at the nodes and can be difficult to get at. I use a systemic soil drench made for trees & shrubs once a year & it works like a charm.

this was one of my favorite bamboos back when a had a yard- great yellow to orange culms (especially orangey new culms) with irregular green striping. Had a severe problem with mealy bug and scale, though- plant much less hardy to problems than 'regular' B multiplex, and it struggled much of the time. Heavy dosing of pesticides hurt plant, too, which surprised me... so careful with diazazon with this one (I could not keep the ants away... and they brought all their 'friends').