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Native Plant Alternatives to Phyllostachys nigra (Black Bamboo)

Native Plants, Invasive Plants, Phyllostachys nigra, Black Bamboo, Whangee Cane, Kuro-Chiku, Bambusa nigra, Running Bamboo

Phyllostachys nigra, commonly known as black bamboo, is a species of flowering plant in the bamboo subfamily of the grass family Poaceae, native to Hunan Province of China, and widely cultivated elsewhere.

As with many bamboos, Phyllostachys nigra can become invasive in certain conditions. It is a running bamboo, which means it spreads by sending out underground rhizomes that can lead to new shoots many feet away from the parent plant. This can cause it to spread rapidly and take over large areas if it is not properly contained.

Black Bamboo is listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.

According to the U.S Forest Service, Invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species and 18% of U.S. endangered or threatened species. Invasive species compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space. They displace and alter native plant communities, degrade wildlife habitat and water quality, and potentially lead to increased soil erosion.

The federal government has estimated that nearly 25 percent of the 20,000 plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction, many of these through habitat loss. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

A plant is considered native if it occurs naturally in a particular region or ecosystem without human introduction. There are many benefits to growing native plants. First, these plants are better adapted to soils, moisture, and weather than exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world. They need fewer fertilizers and pesticides or use less water. Second, they are unlikely to escape and become invasive, destroying natural habitats. Third, they support wildlife, providing shelter and food for native birds and insects, while exotic plants do not.

Guide Information

Hardiness 7 - 11
Heat Zones 4 - 11
Plant Type Bamboos
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Native Plants United States

U.S. Native Plant Alternatives to Phyllostachys nigra (Black Bamboo)

Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem)
Equisetum hyemale (Horsetail)
Juncus effusus (Common Rush)
Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Red Cedar)
Morella cerifera (Southern Wax Myrtle)
Panicum virgatum (Switch Grass)
Sorghastrum nutans (Indian Grass)
Salix nigra (Black Willow)

 

 

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Native Plant Alternatives to Celastrus orbiculatus (Oriental Bittersweet)
Native Plant Alternatives to Verbascum thapsus (Common Mullein)

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Guides with
United States
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 7 - 11
Heat Zones 4 - 11
Plant Type Bamboos
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Native Plants United States
Guides with
United States

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