Family: Poaceae

Bambusa multiplex, commonly known as Chinese dwarf bamboo, is a compact, clumping bamboo widely grown for hedges, privacy screens, and ornamental plantings. Its dense foliage and many slender culms make it an attractive choice for landscaping, especially in places where a smaller, well-behaved bamboo is desired. This species is native to China and parts of Southeast Asia, where it grows in tight clumps rather than spreading aggressively by runners.

In Hawaiʻi, Bambusa multiplex is used in gardens and along property borders because it stays relatively contained and tolerates pruning well. While it is not known to be invasive in the islands, it can form dense thickets if left unmanaged. Regular maintenance—such as thinning older culms and controlling the clump size—helps keep it healthy and manageable. Gardeners who choose to plant Chinese dwarf bamboo should ensure they have space for it to mature and be prepared for routine care to prevent unwanted spread.

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate suitability (tropical/subtropical, frost-tolerant)
  
• Naturalized outside native range (e.g., Florida, New Zealand, Fiji)
  
• History of repeated introductions (ornamental, erosion control)
  
• Congeneric weed (other Bambusa species are invasive)
  
• Tolerates a wide range of soils and shade
  
• Produces viable seed
  
• Prolonged generative time (flowers gregariously after many years)
  
• Wind-dispersed seeds
  
• Tolerates mutilation (resprouts after pruning)

Low Risk Traits:

• Clumping (non-running) growth habit
  
• Not reported as a serious agricultural or environmental weed
  
• No spines, thorns, or burrs
  
• Not allelopathic, parasitic, or toxic
  
• Palatable to animals
  
• Not a fire hazard
  
• Infrequent sexual reproduction (seed rarely produced)
  
• No evidence of hybridization or vegetative spread via fragmentation
  
• Limited unintentional dispersal (mainly via garden waste)
  
• Not a prolific seed producer
  
• Can be controlled with herbicides