Silk Bamboo (Silky Weavers Bamboo)

Bambusa textilis ‘Glabra’

Plant Details

USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 8b-11 Find Your Zone

Type: Clumping

Height: 25-30′

Spread: 6-8′

Spacing: 5′ for Hedge or Screen

Culm Diameter: 1.50″

Sun: Full to Mostly Sun

Soil: Average, moist but well-drained

Growth Rate: Fast!

Salt Tolerance: Moderate

Description

With a clumping, non-spreading habit, the Silk Bamboo, Bambusa textilis ‘Glabra’, also known as Silky Weavers Bamboo, is a beautiful, tall and slender variety excellent for a vertical accent in small gardens and tight spaces. It is also quite cold hardy having withstood temperatures of 15 degrees F at our bamboo farm. The straight, thin walled canes of 1-inch diameter display a predominant bluish white powder on the lower parts of the internodes giving the plant a glaucus appearance. Silk Bamboo is similar to the Graceful Bamboo, however features smooth canes and culm sheaths and is more open clumping. Not yet as popular as Gracilis (Graceful Bamboo), Glabra is certainly attractive and distinctive and is sure to become just as popular with each specimen planted. Makes a beautiful specimen plant!

Note: We grow one crop of the clumping bamboo (Bambusa) varieties annually. Because they will not tolerate temperatures below 12 to 20 degrees F, to avoid damage to plants during transit we begin shipping these in April or May, depending on your location. Click here if you are looking for cold hardy bamboo

Landscape & Other Uses

Containers/Pots: Excellent! (12-15′ HT)

Crafts: Good

Edible: No

Hedge: No

Privacy Screen: Okay but best as specimen!

Indoor: Yes, high light – PLEASE SEE: How To Grow Bamboo Plants Indoors

Ornamental: Excellent

Wood Quality: NA

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8b, where this Bamboo variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

The Silk Bamboo is very easy to grow in a moist but well drained soil and full sun to part shade. Faster growth can be expected with more sun and consistently moist soil. In quick draining soils it’s a good idea to mix in some composted organic matter such as composted cow manure and peat moss with the native soil removed from the planting hole. Mulch well to retain moisture in the soil. Feed three times a year in spring, summer and fall with a natural fertilizer, palm food, or good shrub & tree fertilizer.

How To Grow Bamboo Plants Indoors

Silk Bamboo is a clumping bamboo that does not require any control to contain it. That said, the clump can grow 6 to 8 feet wide over time. If you want to contain it to a smaller area this can be done. Bamboo can be controlled in a small area simply by mowing or stepping on the young shoots. Bamboo only puts up new shoots for a short time each year and, when they are “shooting,” the new plants are very fragile and easy to destroy. Root pruning or installing Bamboo Root Barrier are other methods to control spread.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Bamboo plants.

How To Grow Bamboo Plants Indoors

How To Plant Bamboo Plants In The Ground

How To Plant Bamboo Plants In Containers & Pots

How To Fertilize And Water Bamboo Plants

How To Prune Bamboo Plants

How To Stop The Spread Of Bamboo Plants

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Questions? Contact Us!

The silk bamboo plant I ordered was delivered sooner than I expected and the plant was in great shape. I especially appreciated the planting directions on the website. I transplanted it into a pot and it is flourishing in my home. I will definitely buy more plants from Wilson Bros.———————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG