Hardy Timber Bamboo

Phyllostachys vivax

timber shoots bamboo cold tolerant shoots evergreen heat tolerant deer resistant running timber

Height: 75' average mature height

Hardiness Zones: 6-8 Find my zone

Aspect: full shade to full sun

This plant can't be shipped to Hawaii

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The largest and fastest growing timber bamboo in Southern Oregon, Phyllostachys vivax establishes far faster than other timber bamboos. While some timbers may take up to 20 years to form a large grove, P. vivax can produce culms up to five inches in diameter within seven years. P. vivax will produce tall, thick canes even when given limited growing space. We had a single plant reach 35 feet in height with canes three inches in diameter on a grove four feet by four feet.

No other bamboo grows quite as fast as Phyllostachys vivax, especially because the cane diameter is very thick relative to the height which makes the plant look even bigger from a young age. We had Phyllostachys vivax and Phyllostachys rubromarginata planted next to each other and both plants were at about 20 feet tall. Being the same height, the vivax had a cane diameter of around three inches while the rubromarginata had diameters of only an inch and a half. This makes P. vivax a very valuable species for creating an instant timber bamboo grove, especially if you are limited on space or maximum height.

The cane walls are thin so this species will often see broken canes with wet, sticky snowfall. In the winter of 2015/2016 several canes were brought down by freezing rain. We just pruned them out and the plant was fine, but if you are looking for a variety to plant near walkways or roads where the broken canes might be a problem consider planting Phyllostachys iridescens instead. Phyllostachys iridescens is very similar to Phyllostachys vivax and is closely related but has stronger canes with thicker walls. Phyllostachys iridescens is a better choice for timber harvest as well.

Two large shoots growing towards the sky, P. vivax shoots can grow up to a foot or more per day.

Shoots that have been harvested for eating.

Our one gallon crop of P. vivax in 2015

Phyllostachys vivax has some very colorful variations that also achieve a massive size.


Phyllostachys vivax 'Aureocaulis' has yellow canes with random green striping.	Phyllostachys vivax 'Huangwenzhu' has green canes with yellow stripes in the sulcus.

Related Care Information

Why are my bamboos leaves turning yellow in the fall?

Packing Plants For Shipping

Most of our plants are shipped bare root while they are dormant from late November through April and ship via the U.S. Postal Service. Bamboo plants can be shipped in their containers year-round by UPS.

Bare root plants are soaked and wrapped together in bundles.
ictured are 10x 24 inch tall Coast Redwoods.

The bundled plants are wrapped in paper and labeled by variety.

The bundle is wetted and bagged.

Bundles of plants are secured in long boxes.

Pruning and Plant Sizes

We prune both the tops and the roots of our plants at least once per year while they are growing in our nursery to ensure they develop a strong, dense form. Regular annual pruning goes a long way to ensure a healthy branching structure and this is often a missed step in many nurseries. Pruning a plant back hard after it has been neglected pruning-wise often results in an irregular branch habit or multiple leaders so we prune early and regularly instead. We also prune the roots of our plants while they are dormant which causes them to produce a much more branched structure and helps to elimate tangled masses that hinder future development. Plants that have been root pruned establish themselves much more quickly than root bound plants. Generally, hardwood plants will be pruned in the winter and conifers will be pruned in the summer.

Before shipping plants we prune the tops and roots one last time. Conifers will usually have very little pruning except to balance out long branches. Shrubs are usually pruned to around 1-2 feet tall to encourage low branch development and small to medium sized trees are usually pruned to around 36-40 inches. Pruning trees at this height encourages dominant branches to begin forming around 3 feet from the ground which typically looks the best in most situations. However, if you want a tree to have branching start higher (some city codes require trees to not branch below 4 feet) we have longer boxes available. To request taller trees please contact us at least three days before your ship date. Depending on your location and the shipping routes there may be a fee for oversize package handling (usually about $15 for a 60 inch box).

Tall trees (Oaks, Ginkgo, large Maples, etc.) are pruned to 40 inches to encourage crown development from about 36 inches and up

Small and medium trees (short Maples, Redbuds, Stewartia, etc.) are pruned 10-20 inches above the prune line from last year

Shrubs (Weigela, Hydrangea, Viburnum, etc.) are pruned to 18 inches tall and root pruned one last time

Small plug size

Bamboo Plants Are Shipped In Their Containers

Bamboo roots are not flexible and so plants have to be shipped in their containers. These plants are heavier and are shipped separately from bare root plants. Because they are potted they can handle longer transit times so can ship via UPS Ground instead of USPS Air Mail. Potted plants can also be shipped year-round.

We regularly top our 1 gallon bamboo plants at 24-30 inches tall throughout the growing season. This results in dense, bushy foliage while allowing for economical shipping. From this size most running species will grow to 5-6 feet tall in the first spring and clumping species will usually grow to 4-5 feet tall.

1 gallon bamboo plants strapped in and ready to be sealed.

Unpacking Bare Root Plants

You will be sent tracking details as soon as your plants are shipped. Unpack your plants as quickly as possible after they are delivered. We use two types of boxes, side-sealing and top-sealing. For boxes that are taped along the whole length you can cut the tape on either side and remove the plant bundles by cutting the tape holding the bundle to the bottom. For boxes that are sealed on the top and bottom, it is easiet to open the bottom of the box (the shipping label is at the top) and pull the bundle of plants out straight out. Check that the box is empty as there can be a second bundle of plants stuck towards the top.

A bundle of trees.

When you are ready to plant, remove the trees from the plastic and soak the roots in a bucket of water for 30 seconds. Do not expose the roots to direct sunlight and do not allow them to dry out. When planting large quantities of plants we keep the plants in a black garbage bag to keep all sun and air flow away from the roots and pull each plant as soon as the planting hole is ready. Water the soil well right after planting.

What if I am not able to plant right away?

You can usually leave the plants in their shipping container unopened for 1-2 days if there were no shipping delays and you have received your plants from late November through February. Plants shipped when it is warmer can't stay in their packages for as long.

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