Phyllostachys viridis Robert Young

Maximum heigth 40′
Maximum diameter 3.5″
Cold hardy to 0 F.

Robert Young bamboo is one of the most distinct bamboos.  It is a giant bamboo with beautiful yellow canes that have random  green stripes.  Robert Young is a cultivar or variety of Phyllostachys viridis, often called “Pigskin” bamboo due to the dimpled surface of the canes. (It looks like a football when seen under magnification).  P. viridis does not have yellow canes.  I first saw this bamboo at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and knew I had to have it.  Before I purchased my first Robert Young bamboo plants I had a fortunate experience.  We discovered a giant grove of this particular bamboo on the banks of a nearby river.  The grove (along with Giant Gray Henon and Temple Bamboo) covered about an acre.  The owner was in the process of bulldozing the grove.  He intended to completely eliminate all the bamboo.  He gave me permission to dig as much as I wanted and over the next couple of weeks that’s just what I did.  I was able to get dozens of plants and chose one of the best locations on our property to plant.  This was the back of our dam which faced east.  With a large number of plants it only took a few years for the back of the dam to be completely covered with beautiful, giant, yellow bamboo.  Today, it is the bamboo that visitors always comment on as it now lines the side of the driveway as you cross the dam.
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Robert Young bamboo

Phyllostachys viridis Robert Young

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