Seabreeze Bamboo is a fast-growing, bushy plant that thrives in coastal areas. It is a non-invasive species that stands up to wind and drought.
Quick facts
- Common name: Seabreeze Bamboo
- Botanical name: Bambusa malingensis
- Type: Clumping
- Average height: 30-35 ft (9-10.6 m)
- Average diameter: 2-2.5 in (5-6.4 cm)
- Hardiness: 20-25°F (-7 to -4°C)
- USDA Zones: 9A-11
- UK Hardiness Zones: H4-H1c
- Light requirements: Full sun, light shade, and partial shade
- Best use: windbreak, erosion control, coastal areas
The Seabreeze Bamboo, also known as the ‘maling bamboo’ is native to southern China. It is an amazing coastal bamboo for areas like Southern California, Texas, and Florida due to its incredible attributes. It was named Seabreeze because of the sound it makes in the breeze.
It makes a perfect centerpiece statement and a good contrast among other plants. You’ll definitely want to add this to your garden when you discover its uses and amazing features.
If you’re looking out for a beautiful screening, hardy bamboo plant, or a sweet, focal specimen that can withstand what other bamboos can’t, this is the one for you!
What does Bambusa malingensis look like?
Seabreeze is yet another impressive, fast-growing bamboo that has an outstanding umbrella-shaped arch. It can grow up to 40 feet in favorable conditions.
It’s a mid-sized bamboo with a few lower branches. This makes it perfect for privacy screens, as it beautifully reveals its unique canes.
The eye-catching bluish-white culms grow close to each other forming straight, dense clumps. The canes are very strong and can even be used as garden stakes.
What are the best growing conditions for Seabreeze Bamboo?
B. malingensis is a stunning bamboo that tolerates salty conditions more than other bamboos. Once matured, they don’t require much attention.
This bamboo loves sunny positions and good soil. Frost can be a serious problem for younger plants, but mulching your bamboo can help.
If your beautiful Seabreeze Bamboo is planted in a container, it’s a good idea to move it inside during the cold. You’ll need to feed your plants with a natural fertilizer in spring, summer, and fall.
Light requirements
Seabreeze Bamboo can tolerate both full sun and light shade. But the more sun it can get, the better its growth. This species of bamboo grows best in sunny conditions. It’ll grow into the thick, full bamboo plant you wished for when given the sunny condition it loves.
Soil requirement
Bambusa malingensis thrives in moist, well-draining soil. It won’t grow well in swampy areas or waterlogged soils. Just like most bamboo plants, this species prefers fertile, humus-rich soils.
It will tolerate most soil types. In fact, the soil type is not so vital, but you’ll need to make sure it is well-draining. If you have quick-draining soil, it’s a good idea to improve the soil by mulching it.
This will help to boost its moisture-holding capacity. Simply compost organic matter like bamboo leaves, peat moss, or cow manure. Then mix them into your soil or add in heavier garden soils.
Planting Bambusa malingensis
You can plant this bamboo at any time of the year, but if you are in a very frosty area, avoid planting Seabreeze Bamboo in winter. Planting it in spring will yield better results and faster growth.
Summer isn’t a bad time either. If you plant your bamboo in winter, it’ll take more time for it to be established.
As Bambusa malingensis is a clumping bamboo, you don’t need to worry much about containing it. Its clumps can actually spread up to 8ft wide over many many years. If this isn’t what you want, you can do a few things to keep your bamboo in check.
A quick mowing can stop the young plants from shooting, simply stepping on them can also help. The young shoots of this bamboo are very fragile and quite easy to remove. But if you want a sure way of controlling their spread, you may consider installing a root barrier or planting them in containers. However, this is not really necessary because this isn’t a fast spreader. It simply requires maintenance.
How to care for Seabreeze Bamboo
Seabreeze doesn’t require much effort to take care of. Water it regularly until they are mature. As they grow, they may need a little pruning to look great.
You may need to trim the stems and remove some canes. When removing canes, cut them close to the ground level so they don’t look ugly.
You can prune and style your bamboo plant to your desired look. Try as much as possible to remove dead canes. Plus, thinning out smaller canes will help to improve airflow and let in light.
If you’ll be creating a privacy screen, you may want to prune out the lower leaves to display the beautiful canes.
Watering
This bamboo requires regular watering for the first few months. You can water them thoroughly once every two days. Always ensure that the soil is moist but not waterlogged. This bamboo doesn’t need as much watering as other bamboos.
During summer, you may need to water your bamboo plants daily if it is really hot. Always check them out. If you notice that the leaves are wilting, you’ll want to increase your watering.
Once your Seabreeze Bamboo is established, it won’t require much watering as they are drought tolerant.
Pest and diseases
Seabreeze Bamboo is generally resistant to diseases, but sometimes sucking insects like mealybugs and aphids can infest it. These insects don’t really harm your bamboo, they simply secrete honeydew that’ll cause the growth of black sooty mold that’s not nice to look at.
Don’t worry too much, you can use insecticidal soap to deal with these insects. Also, keep in mind that over-fertilized plants are more attractive to these pests.
Propagation
You can grow Seabreeze Bamboo by dividing corms (rhizomes) or cuttings. The easiest way would be growing them from stem cuttings. They grow faster than you imagined. Keep in mind that the best time to plant bamboo cuttings is in mid-spring.
Uses of Bambusa malingensis
Bambusa malingensis is really great as a privacy screen. Its tight growing pattern and unique shape make it an amazing choice for a dense privacy screen.
They’ll also turn heads as an ornamental plant or stand-alone specimen. Their fast-growing nature makes them suitable as an aesthetic centerpiece specimen. They’ve got so many uses you’ll love. They are good windbreakers and erosion controllers too.
2 Comments
Thank you so much for this in-depth review of Seabreeze Bamboo. I have a clump that is a little out of control…my bad. It is so tall that it is blocking our backyard neighbor’s view of the ocean, so I am going to trim the top at about 20 feet. I know to cut just above the ridge line. The challenge is getting up there to effectively trim it evenly. Have any suggestions with regard to ladder placement? Will a leaning ladder rest upon the canes at the top? Thank you!
If your bamboo is really tall and you want to trim the top of it, you may be able to do so without a ladder by gently bending the culm from the ground. If the diameter is too thick, you should rather use an A-frame ladder or a lift. Bamboo culms get thinner towards the top so they may not hold a ladder with a person. For more tips in terms of trimming bamboo, please, read this article!