Phyllostachys nigra - Black Bambooo

One of my most popular bamboos. The canes start out green and over several months they turn dark black. During the process of turning the canes have a beautiful, green and black mottled appearance. This bambo seems to vary greatly in size depending on where it's planted. I have a grove beside my pond with 2 inch canes while another grove at the top of a hill in poor soil has no canes over about and inch in diameter. They are the same black bamboo clone and planted about the same time, roughly 10 years ago.

This grove of black bamboo has been groomed to show off the canes better. The grove is about 5 years old and most of the canes are about 3/4 inch in diameter. Black bamboo is a stiking looking bamboo.

On the left is a new shoot of Black bamboo. On the right are new canes of Black bamboo. They come up green and turn black over a period of several months. I love the way they look when they have this green, speckled look.