Bambusa Plant – Common Bamboo – Glass Pot

Bambusa Plant or vulgaris “Wamin,” commonly called dwarf Buddha’s belly bamboo, is a clumping bamboo cultivar that produces canes lined with swollen nodes that resemble the fat belly of the Buddha. Dwarf Buddha’s belly is slow growing for a bamboo, growing 2 to 4 feet a year before reaching a mature height of about 15 feet. The bright green, 3-inch canes hold up thin branches covered in long green leaves. A native of South China, dwarf Buddha’s belly is fairly cold hardy for a bamboo and moderately low maintenance if grown in the right cultural conditions.

1. Choose a full sun or partial sun location with well-draining soil in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9b to 11. If planting multiple bamboos, allow 3 to 5 feet of space between plants.

2. Water deeply and regularly with your garden hose to keep the soil moist, but not flooded, at all times during the growing season. Never allow the soil to dry out completely.

3. Prune away any dead, diseased or broken branches with your pruning shears anytime of year. If desired, thin out branches in the spring if the bamboo begins to look crowded.

4. Check foliage occasionally for common bamboo pests such as bamboo aphids, mealy bugs, bamboo scale and spider mites. Pest infestations can usually be combated by spraying the plant with direct water or washing the leaves with insecticidal soap.