FlickrIn most cases when people think about indoor bamboo they’re actually thinking of lucky bamboo.
Lucky bamboo is a great option for anyone seeking a minimal care plant. It does well in a warm indoor settings with minimal sunlight and can grow in water or soil. Despite its name, lucky bamboo is not actually bamboo, so we won’t be discussing it on this page. But, if you’re interested in learning more about lucky bamboo and how to care for it as an indoor bamboo plant, check out our lucky bamboo plant page!
So, what about growing “real” bamboo plants indoors?
Although it is possible to grow real bamboo indoors the plants don’t often do as well as if they’re planted outside. If you’re thinking about growing your bamboo inside one thing you should ask yourself is if you have a spot that offers a lot of natural light. A large window or skylights are ideal as bamboo needs natural light on a daily basis. You also may need to spritz indoor bamboo in order to keep the humidity up. Below we’ve listed some of the best plants for those brave at heart who decide to tackle this adventure.
1. Bambusa multiplex ‘Alphonse Karr’
Common name: Alphonse Karr
Clumping variety
Maximum Container Height 20 Feet.
Color: Golden stalks
2. Pseudosasa japonica
Common name: Arrow Bamboo
Running variety
Maximum Container Height: 20 Feet
Color: Gold and black stalks with green foliage
3. Hibanobambusa tranquillans
Common name: Shiroshima
Running variety
Maximum container height: 10 Feet
Color: Green culm, white and green stripped leaves.
4. Semiarundinaria fastuosa
Common Name: Temple Bamboo
Running variety
Maximum container height: 20 Feet
Color: Green/dark red culms, green leaves.
5. Bambusa multiplex ‘Riviereorum’
Common Name: Chinese Goddess
Clumping
Maximum container height: 6 Feet
Color: Green
Unlike growing bamboo in the ground, growing bamboo indoors takes a lot more patience and practice. It’s best probably attempted by someone who has grown bamboo outside in the past and has a “feel” for when they’re healthy and when they’re lacking something!
The best of luck in growing your indoor plants!
Photo source: Niklas Bildhauer on Flickr
