Family: Poaceae

Bambusa tuldoides, commonly known as puntingpole bamboo, is a tall, elegant clumping bamboo valued for its strong, straight culms. Native to China, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, and Vietnam, this species has been widely planted in tropical and subtropical regions for building materials, garden screens, and windbreaks. It forms dense, upright clumps with smooth green culms that can reach impressive heights, creating a striking vertical accent in the landscape. Because it grows quickly and tolerates a range of conditions, it is often chosen for privacy plantings or as a living hedge.

In Hawaiʻi, however, puntingpole bamboo should be planted with awareness and caution. Although it is a clumping species, it can still spread outward over time and become difficult to manage if not regularly maintained. Large clumps may crowd out nearby plants and require significant space to grow safely. Anyone considering this bamboo should be prepared for ongoing maintenance and ensure it is planted in a controlled area where its size and spread will not become a problem. Plant Pono encourages thoughtful selection of non-invasive alternatives whenever possible to help protect Hawaiʻi’s landscapes and native ecosystems.

High Risk Traits:

• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Reported to be naturalized in the Argentina
  
• Related Bambusa species have become invasive
  
• May produce viable seeds that can be dispersed by gravity, wind or people
  
• May resprout after repeated cutting or harvesting of shoots and culms (may be difficult to remove from unwanted areas)

Low Risk Traits:

• No negative impacts have been documented
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Edible shoots
  
• Landscaping and ornamental value
  
• A sympodial, or clumping bamboo
  
• Long time to reproductive maturity
  
• Lack of seed production until possibly at the end of long life cycle