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bamboo privacy screen in los angeles

10 years ago

I recently purchased a single-story home adjacent to a two-story fourplex in Los Angeles. I have a narrow strip of land about 12" available to plant a privacy screen that would separate my driveway from my neighbor's side yard. Bamboo appealed to me for a number of reasons. I need something 12' tall minimum that will thrive in an a strip of land that receives partial sunlight (it is south-facing and receives sunlight all day but it is near two structures on both sides). I'm leaning towards the Bambusa Multiplex or a Phyllostachys Decora -- any reason I should choose one over the other?

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Comments (3)

kudzu9
10 years ago
B. multiplex might provide a little better screening...but it's often almost as wide as it is high, so, if you have a tight space, it might not be a good choice. A Phyllostachys will be a much more erect plant for a narrow planting area.

Here is a link that might be useful: B. multiplex picture
mimulus
10 years ago
Hi. I'm in LA too. Can the branches be wider than 12" ? Do you need coverage low or just high for the upper level windows? If the plant can only be 12" wide its really too narrow of a space for total coverage because you will only have the stalks (called culms). If you only need coverage higher up and you can let the branches grow out then you have a better chance of coverage.
I don't know of any bamboo that will stay only 12" wide at the base. If there is a deep barrier (1' for a clumper or 2' for a runner) then the bamboo will stay where you want it. Or you can put in bamboo barrier and not have to worry about it. Otherwise I would suggest a fence and a trellis/lattice above it, possibly with a vine.
For narrow, very upright, shorter bamboos Check out Thamnocalamus, Fargesia nigra, Alphonse Karr, Chimonobambusa marmorea (runner) or maybe Tootsik (runner). Just Google them and you will see lots of photos and info.
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You're unlikely to have any bamboo in pots that will approach 40'...20' is a more reasonable expectation. I grow a lot of kinds of bamboo in the ground, and none of mine are at even the 30' level. The only time I saw bamboo in containers where the culms were 40' high was inside a shopping mall where the plants were in massive concrete containers 6' high and quite wide and deep. As you are in Los Angeles, there are a lot of bamboo that will grow well for you; your main problem will be keeping them well-watered in pots. I am not going to recommend a species as there are so many that can be grown in containers in your area. Instead, you should go to a local bamboo nursery to see what various kinds look like and to get recommendations on what will do well in your situation. Below is a link with a little more info on growing bamboo Here is a link that might be useful: Container bamboo
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I mostly guessed on the schedule. It's rare for leaves to drop or turn yellow which made me think I might be doing ok, but again, I'm mostly guessing given my lack of experience. ==>>> my experience with drip irrigation.. is that no one can tell you how to deal with moisture..in your soil.. in your yard.. with all your cement.. etc .. ad nauseum ... so all you are left with.. is digging some holes and finding out about your moisture at root depth ... note key word: YOUR and absolutely ... they are not suffering ...at all .. so you must be darn close ... but you might find one area has slightly different soil than the other area .. or some such ... so the4re is a slightly different watering need .... what is your specific goal .. once you can put that in words.. then we might be able to suggest how to start pruning them ... if you want height.. well i see no use of cutting off tops.. like a lot of peeps seem to think ... so then it comes down to lower pruning .... how wide do you want these things to be ... because shearing will have to be done then .. but it might be advantageous to start earlier.. so you get branching that will end up more interior.. than the ultimate width ... that is hard to express in words.. do you get what i am getting at??? usually when you prune a tree or shrub... you trigger more than one dormant bud to start growing ... usually at leaf nodes below ... and that is how you get the thickening you want ... see if this helps: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=dormant+bud+to+start+growing+at+leaf+nodes+below&t=ffcm&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images i have never dealt with ficus ... but i cant imagine it would be any different.. but if someone rolls around and says otherwise.. i will defer ... now.. how about that EXACT plan of you goal ... ken
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mimulus
10 years ago
Hi. I'm in LA too. Can the branches be wider than 12" ? Do you need coverage low or just high for the upper level windows? If the plant can only be 12" wide its really too narrow of a space for total coverage because you will only have the stalks (called culms). If you only need coverage higher up and you can let the branches grow out then you have a better chance of coverage.
I don't know of any bamboo that will stay only 12" wide at the base. If there is a deep barrier (1' for a clumper or 2' for a runner) then the bamboo will stay where you want it. Or you can put in bamboo barrier and not have to worry about it. Otherwise I would suggest a fence and a trellis/lattice above it, possibly with a vine.
For narrow, very upright, shorter bamboos Check out Thamnocalamus, Fargesia nigra, Alphonse Karr, Chimonobambusa marmorea (runner) or maybe Tootsik (runner). Just Google them and you will see lots of photos and info.

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