Bambusa vulgaris Wamin (Dwarf Buddha Belly Bamboo)

Bambusa vulgaris ‘Wamin’ (Dwarf Buddha Belly Bamboo) is a small-sized evergreen bamboo with dark shiny green canes, up to 3 in. wide (7 cm), adorned with short and swollen lower internodes resembling the fat belly of the Buddha. The canes hold up thin branches covered in long green leaves, up to 12 in. (30 cm).

Bambusa vulgaris 'Wamin' (Dwarf Buddha Belly Bamboo) is a small-sized evergreen bamboo with dark shiny green canes, up to 3 in. wide (7 cm), adorned with short and swollen lower internodes resembling the fat belly of the Buddha. The canes hold up thin branches covered in long green leaves, up to 12 in. (30 cm). Very ornamental, this slow-growing and non-invasive bamboo makes a wonderful container plant and is an excellent choice for a privacy screen. The culms are often used for handicrafts. Hardiness: 28ºF (-2ºC).

  • Grows up to 8-15 ft. tall (2-5 m).
  • A full sun to part shade lover, it is best grown in fertile, moist soils . If grown in too deep shade, the nodes will not be as pronounced, as the plant will stretch to reach for the sun.
  • Great choice for hedges and screens and containers.
  • Virtually disease free. Keep an eye out for aphids, cottony scales and bamboo borer.
  • Remove weak, dead, damaged or spindly stems in spring and thin to show off stems to best effect. Cut out any flowering shoots promptly to discourage more from forming.
  • Propagate by division or take cuttings of sections of young rhizomes in spring
  • Bambusa vulgaris species is native to Asia. It can form dense thickets that displace native species. Once this plant is established, it is difficult to remove. 
  • Find where this species is invasive in the United States.
  • Discover beautiful U.S. native plant alternatives.

Requirements

Hardiness 9
– 11

Plant Type Bamboos
Plant Family Bamboos
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid,Late)Summer (Early,Mid,Late)FallWinter
Height 8'
– 15'
(240cm
– 4.5m)
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low, Average
Soil Type Loam
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy, Evergreen
Tolerance Deer
Garden Uses Hedges and Screens, Patio and Containers