Lovers of bamboo are real devotees of this variant of grass. Yes, bamboo is just a type of grass, and it has hundreds of cultivars, each with its own special qualities and features. To many people who have bamboo growing in their yards, bamboo can be almost rapacious monster, growing literally inches overnight and almost impossible to get rid of. I have some behind my house that is over 48 ft. high. I’ve measured a pole I cut down. Bamboo can be split into two camps: clumping and running. I have the running kind that sends out underground runners up to 30 feet out in a season if not kicked over when it emerges in April. But it is beautiful. The clumping varieties are manageable and that is what most people go to purchase when they’re looking for a clump to use in landscaping. There are a few nurseries in the southern Louisiana area near Baton Rouge that specialize in stocking and cultivating species or that have a wide selection for the public.
This nursery has a good selection of bamboo though it’s not listed on their web site. There are three Baton Rough locations, the area where it first started in 1983. Now there are dozens, making it the 10th largest garden and nursery center in the Southeast. They are open from 9-6 every day of the week.
LOUISIANA NURSERY – Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, just east of Sherwood Forest
12289 Florida Blvd,
Baton Rouge, La. 70815
Phone: 225 / 272-9795
Bamboo Gardens of Louisiana doesn’t have its web site completed yet but from the forums on bamboo it should be ready soon. They carry extensive stocks of bamboo cultivars, especially the clumping kind, I hear. Blue bamboo, black bamboo, and some pygmy species. Their bamboos are sold for screening, ornamentals, specimens, hedge replacement and even shading. Many of the clumping varieties can be exquisite when used in around the hardscaping of ponds and even swimming pools. But they do also have the running versions. But BE CAREFUL. Know what you’re getting when you purchase a running bamboo. These people seem to know all about the stuff and can fill you in on any questions. Their sales visits are by appointment only and can be scheduled any day except Wednesday, from 8 am-3 pm. 985)795-2300
Bamboo Gardensof Louisiana 38124 Hwy 440
Mount Hermon, LA 70450
http://www.moso.us/
The Bamboo Company specializes in cultivating and selling a vast variety of bamboos, both running and clumping. Located on the 50 acres of hills between Folsom and Franlkinton, LA, the Bamboo Company is a wholesale/retail nursery that
sells to both landscapers and the public. They have over 100 bamboos any given time and offer over 200 different species. One of their largest runner varieties, Moso, a giant timber bamboo, can exceed 70 ft. in height and is quite awesome. The nursery also has a site in Mandeville, LA where people can see grown varieties of their bamboos in a residential setting, but tours at this location are by appointment only. This amazing plant has long been used in construction in the far East and in food (the edible shoots) as well.
16483 Fisher Rd.
Franklinton, LA 70438 [email protected]
(985)-789-2584 [email protected]
