Growing bamboo in windy tropical conditions

[Dave]

Hi!

We're looking for some guidance on growing bamboo in very windy conditions. We're located in Hawaii, on the dry & sunny side of Oahu. Our house sits on a ridge and is exposed to the tradewinds, 75% of the time they clock 20 to 30 mph, with gusts to 40.

We would like to grow a bamboo hedge along a fence which runs roughly parallel to the prevailing winds. It gets sun from sunrise to sunset. The hedge should reach a height of about 6'. We'd like it to grow thick & dense, not tall.

The soil is construction fill; it has chunks of rock & concrete, and appears to have a high iron content (red color) and high clay content (it sticks to your shovel). We can remove some of this soil & replace it with better material if needed, and we can provide the area with as much water as needed.

Can anyone recommend a species for our conditions? Can you also recommend spacing, soil, watering, and fertilizing techniques?

We've already seen that many plants simply cannot grow in the very windy conditions here. A transplanted gardenia lost it's flowers and the leaves looked dried out within a few days, requiring an emergency transplant to the back of the house where the wind isn't so strong. The only plants that have made it so far are the low-lying ground huggers. But we'd really like a privacy hedge along that fence; since bamboo grows so well here in Hawaii, I'm hoping that there may be a hardy species that's happy to stand up to the wind.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Dave & Rohinita

[Mark Meckes]

Hello Dave and Rohinita,
I've forwarded your question ...hopefully will get an answer.
Meanwhile, here are some factors where windy conditions can affect bamboo.

- As with any new planting, staking the planting to keep it well anchored until it's roots are well secured to terra firma is a must. Constant rocking of the root ball by gusts of wind would soon dry out a plant.
- If the starter plants have not been hardened off, ie, were grown in a well protected nursery or under shadier conditions, you may want to use a windbreak of some sort on the windward side of the planting till they become established.
Of course, a nice bamboo fencing would be ideal, though there are other synthetic windbreak materials available. Now all of this may not be necessary...just thought it worth a mention.

The bamboo...
- There is one period of a bamboos' life when it is more susceptible to high winds, and this is during the shooting season. Now, you aren't after 30+ft giant bamboos, with tender shoots whipping furiously against the breeze.
... I should point out that there are much fewer bamboo varieties that will only grow into 6' tall hedges. However many varieties of bamboo can be trimmed to your desired height when their shoots have reached that size.

- Another thing is that bamboo species which typically have larger leaves will get them more tattered from high winds.

Now let's give it a few days to see if we can get any advice from anyone who has tried and succeeded with your growing conditions.

Mark

BTW, does it matter to you...
- if it's a clumper or runner variety?
- if it grows taller then 6'?
- the quality of harvestable canes for further use?
All bamboo has to have older canes periodically removed.
Some species provide exceptional craft materials, while for others, shredded mulch would be it's best end use.

[Dave]

Hi Mark!

Regarding your questions:

- We do not really care if it is a clumper or runner. If it's happy to grow in our conditioins, we will embrace it.

- if it grows taller then 6', we can trim it. I agree with you that a variety with large leaves will not be good for our conditions - the leaves would whip violently in the wind. We need a variety that has lots of small leaves and tough stalks.

- We do not need to harvest the canes.

On a side note: If you want to get canes, Hawaii is the best place in the U.S. There are some hikes where you can get "plenny brah" (as the Hawaiians would say it). There are nice groves with 30'-tall canes, with numerous dead, seasoned canes within, many still standing upright. I have picked up 30' poles, straight, tapered all the way to a fine point. Amazingly light, you can easily balance it in one hand. When you walk with it, it gets a harmonic whip going. Bamboo is really cool stuff!

[paulineisaachsen]

Kia Ora Dave and Rohinita

The best bamboos to grow in windy situations are the coastal Japanese species of Sasa and Pseudusasa. In your case Pseudusasa japonica should grow tall enough in the conditions given considering the wind factor. It has a good clumpforming habit first then spreads when conditions dry. It has a small diameter rhizome easily maintained if the ground is not disturbed once planted. It would be best though to take out the concrete rubble first or make certain it is below 400mm so that down the track rhizome maintenance doesn't become an difficult issue with obstructions. The leaves are comparitively long, 8'' x 1'' that may concentrate near the top after time making visible beautiful vertical 'arrow' straight olive yellow bamboo culms quite close grown.
Planting is best done in autumn when the roots can establish. If that is too dry try your warm wet season. The present soil type will probably help with the introduction of humus and bark, don't remove the clay, the bamboo roots will need it to stabilise the moisture levels but you could use compost or garden blend mixed 50:50 with the clay down to 1ft around the bamboo roots. Add 10% pumice sand or similar to supply silica for resilience. Ensure drainage is free, this bamboo will happily sit in damp places but it will not move to give you the shelter you need. Mulch with compost the first spring. Each spring and late summer fertilise with seaweed and nitrogen and after planting in autumn fertilise with superphosphate. Plants can be spaced as close as 2 feet. The area will close up quicker, but 3ft is also reasonable. Choose plants with large rootballs but low stems and foliage.
Irrigate during the hot season and in spring when the new shoots emerge and foliage is replaced. The worst hit bamboo stems on the windward side will need the most attention with irrigation, fertilising, tidying of surplus litter and trimming back of damaged stems. A thin layer of leaf mulch is quite necessary.
Hope this helps
Pauline

[Mark Meckes]

Thanks for your suggestions Pauline. I have seen Pseudosasa japonica growing quite happily in subtropical conditions and would like to see how it performs in Hawaii.
(Am looking forward to a visit in Oct 2006 for the American Bamboo Society National Conference, but hope to see pics sooner!)

Reply to a request for info from Quindembo Bamboo (http://www.bamboonursery.com) in Kawaihae Hawaii...

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Four species that will work in windy conditions IF a few conditions are met:

- Bambusa multiplex `Alphonse Karr'
- Bambusa glaucophylla (Malay Dwarf)
- Bambusa vulgaris `Wamin'
- Otatea aztecorum (Mexican Weeping Bamboo)

The first 3 are outstanding windbreak, the 4th (Mexican Weeping Bamboo) is moderately good windbreak; if it is topped, and watered well, it can become quite good windbreak.

Conditions that need to be met
1. installation of an appropriate drip irrigation system.
2. creating good drainage in the soil where they will be planted.
3. eliminating cement and any other sources of relatively high pH; moderate rockiness is not a problem.
4. addition of compost (approx 50%) mixed with native soil as backfill for the plantings.

Plant spacing will depend on species selection.

For the most effective windbreak we recommend leaving the plants as tall as possible, but all of these species can be trimmed to height.

For photos and descriptions you can see our website www.bamboonursery.com
We are on the Big Island, but we ship to O'ahu regularly.

Aloha, Mz Nipper
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[tharlow]

The Malay dwarf sounds like a good match as it's reasonably short, it withstood the Florida hurricanes well, and looks fine when shaped into a hedge. I'm thinking Mexican weeping might be more temperamental, especially if that soil doesn't drain well (or it's not getting enough water). Wamin ought to survive. Bambusa textilis gracilis might be another to consider. I think it'd lose some of its natural beauty by being topped off, but it's not that tall as far as clumpers go.

--Tom

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Dave
The species mentioned so far have ultimate heights ranging from 15 -25 ft, exceeding somewhat, the height you need, though a top sheared bamboo will produce bushier side branches and a better screen then a shorter bamboo, which may have wispier tops.

What about Bambusa multiplex`Riviereorum' CHINESE GODDESS ?

It supposedly only grows to 6 ft. How does it take the wind, and will it grow into a suitable screen?

BTW Dave, is the location near the sea and saltspray?

Is the hedgerow location downhill, ie, will water flow towards it when it rains, or is it at the top of the hill, in an always dry location?

Many bamboos once established are relatively drought tolerant and can be made to grow smaller then their ultimate size by not affording them ideal conditions.
This can be used to advantage, as in your situation.

----------
Though many of us aspire to see our bamboo grow to beyond their ultimate size, a crafter may favor use of a knarly sinewy stick of bamboo grown in adverse conditions, when strength and durability in a product is a concern.

Mark

[green99]

At that height you'll probally end up topping the bamboo to make a hedge. Any of the B.multiplexs would work fine.
Another really nice(and fast) bamboo for screening is B.textilis.
By the way, B.multiplex 'Silverstripe' is the most vigorous multiplex, and it is varigated too!
good luck!

[paulineisaachsen]

Hi Dave
The species mentioned so far have ultimate heights ranging from 15 -25 ft, exceeding somewhat, the height you need, though a top sheared bamboo will produce bushier side branches and a better screen then a shorter bamboo, which may have wispier tops.

What about Bambusa multiplex`Riviereorum' CHINESE GODDESS ?

It supposedly only grows to 6 ft. How does it take the wind, and will it grow into a suitable screen?

BTW Dave, is the location near the sea and saltspray?

Is the hedgerow location downhill, ie, will water flow towards it when it rains, or is it at the top of the hill, in an always dry location?

Many bamboos once established are relatively drought tolerant and can be made to grow smaller then their ultimate size by not affording them ideal conditions.
This can be used to advantage, as in your situation.

----------
Though many of us aspire to see our bamboo grow to beyond their ultimate size, a crafter may favor use of a knarly sinewy stick of bamboo grown in adverse conditions, when strength and durability in a product is a concern.

Mark

If Dave is still looking here is a pic of P. japonica. Long waxy leaves and persistent sheath covered stems, unlike all Bambusas, well suited to coastal conditions. No if's here and looks great for the most part too.
Pauline

[green99]

I don't know if the location is close to the ocean, but arrow bamboo does great here as a coastal plant. The local salty bay washes over it every day for months in the winter at my friends house. Semiarundinaria also seems to do well in a close salty/windy location.

[paulineisaachsen]

I don't know if the location is close to the ocean, but arrow bamboo does great here as a coastal plant. The local salty bay washes over it every day for months in the winter at my friends house. Semiarundinaria also seems to do well in a close salty/windy location.

That is not to say that the Bambusas don't work, even as a wind burnt 'thicket'. I would go with Toms suggestion that G. malay dwarf would stand up to strong winds though don't know what height it should get to. It remains a dwarf here.
Pauline