Family: Poaceae

Bambusa glaucophylla, commonly called Malay dwarf bamboo, is a small to medium clumping bamboo valued for its graceful form and lush evergreen foliage. Native to Jawa (Java), this species forms tight clumps with slender culms and delicate leaves, making it a popular choice for privacy hedges, ornamental borders, and compact landscapes. Its manageable size and tidy growth habit make it appealing for residential gardens where larger bamboo species would be too overwhelming.

In Hawai‘i, Malay dwarf bamboo is cultivated but not known to be naturalized in the wild. While clumping bamboos spread more slowly than running types, they can still expand outward over time and require routine maintenance to keep them contained. As with any non-native bamboo, thoughtful planting and regular monitoring help prevent unwanted spread. Gardeners should trim escaping shoots, manage clump size, and avoid planting near natural areas to ensure this attractive bamboo remains a safe and well-behaved landscape choice.

High Risk Traits:

• Repeatedly introduced outside native range
  
• Congeneric species are weedy/invasive
  
• Forms dense thickets
  
• Reproduces by vegetative fragmentation (rhizomes)
  
• Intentionally propagated in horticulture

Low Risk Traits:

• Not naturalized outside native range
  
• No weed history
  
• No spines, thorns, or burrs
  
• Not allelopathic or parasitic
  
• Palatable to grazing animals
  
• No seed production
  
• No unintentional dispersal mechanisms