 Habitat, diversity and plant habits
The native habitats of Hardy Bamboos fall mainly into three categories. Simply put, the divisions are due to altitude – highland and lowland – andi solation, as the third category is island.
Highland:
Mostly from the Himalaya and the Andes and include Chusquea, Fargesia and Thamnocalmus. These Bamboos often have small leaves and are mostly tight clumping and reserverd in their growth and spread.
Lowland:
Mainly from the plains of China which are inhabited by the many structural timber bamboos, eg: Phyllostachys and some Semiarundinaria species. In the wild these plants form large groves, but are often very refined when brought into our more temperate gardens.Indeed many can be tight clumping according to the location you give them.
Island:
The Japanese islands are a fine example of this maritime influenced group of Bamboos. Many have larger leaves such as Sasa and Indocalamus
offering that “tropical touch”, but they can take up room, forming dense colonies. Choose carefully, and plant wisely, or grow them in pots for versatillity.
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