Phyllostachys flexuosa

Botanical Description

Phyllostachys flexuosa is an evergreen bamboo that usually grows 5 - 6 metres tall but can reach 10 metres; the arching, woody culms are 20 - 40mm in diameter, exceptionally to 70mm, with thin-walled internodes op to 30cm or more long. The rhizomes are elongated, the plant having a running habit that can produce new canes some distance from the main clump, especially in warm climates. This tendency to run, however, is somewhat curtailed in cooler climates, where new shoot production can be rather reduced. The plant is harvested from the wild and also cultivated for use as a food and a source of materials. It is often grown as an ornamental, valued amongst other things for the distinct zig-zag pattern shown by some of the culms, and is also used for hedging and soil stabilization. Like several other members of this genus, the rootstock can be vigorously running and so has the potential to escape rom cultivation and invade the local environment. It is reported to have escaped from cultivation in New Caledonia, where it has been described as invasive.