Exotic Bamboo Bambusa ventricosa. The Buddha's Belly Bamboo. Purchase online from the Pot and Grass Company, Colchester Essex UK.

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Bambusa ventricosa.

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Description -  Bambusa ventricosa 'The Buddha's Belly Bamboo'

• An interesting semi tropical bamboo, medium green with short bulged internodes. Not fully hardy in UK but still very popular. This bamboo is really only suited to warm greenhouse or conservatory culture in the UK. If you want to produce canes with the very distinctive belly. It is unlikely that it will perform well outdoors in the UK except maybe the Isles of Scilly. However this species adapts well to pot culture and will do well in a good loam based compost in a warm area with plenty of sunshine. You will need to keep it hungry if you want to encourage the bulged internodes. It is quite tolerant of drought for a bamboo.

Bambusa is a genus of semi tropical, semi hardy group of bamboos from warmer areas, however some species will stand some frost .Bambusa ventricosa is hardy to minus 7 degrees Celsius. Some are quite tender and not very exposure tolerant.

On the whole these bamboos are best grown in containers and moved into a warm greenhouse or conservatory during the winter months.

Except where indicated on the left, most are quite easy to grow with only an annual hair cut and brush out to worry about.  A good organic compost and regular repotting is recommended  and an annual feed is always appreciated, except for Bambusa ventricosa which needs to be kept hungry if it is to produce its Buddha's Bellies. Remember to compost down fallen leaves adding it to new compost when repotting  the plant to replace valuable silica.

Once the plants are established they are fairly drought tolerant however they need to be kept watered until they have a proper foothold.

On the whole mostly pest free. Maybe an occasional attack of Aphids, Mealy bugs,  Vine weevil, or the dreaded mite. If you don't mind chemicals, spray with a propriety insecticide or alternatively use one of the organic sprays now available. If mites are the problem cut down the canes and burn them along with any fallen leaves and spray the surrounding area with miticide.

Maximum   Height and Width in 10 Years.

Bio Data

For more information there are many excellent reference books available in particular " Bamboos and Grasses" John Ardel. Collins Press. " Taming the Dragon",  Paul Whittaker, Timber Press.
Also take a look at The European Bamboo Society. The American Bamboo Society. The Australian Bamboo Society, Bamboo in Scandinavian