Family: Poaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) is a striking bamboo species native to parts of southern China, including Guizhou and southern Hunan. It is best known for its tall canes that mature from green to deep purple-black, making it a popular ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical landscapes. This fast-growing bamboo can reach impressive heights and spreads through underground rhizomes that produce dense groves. Black bamboo has been cultivated for privacy screens, erosion control, garden accents, windbreaks, crafts, and construction materials. In Hawai‘i, it has become naturalized on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, and Maui, particularly in moist, shaded habitats and along stream banks at low elevations.

Risks & Threats
Black bamboo is naturalized in Hawai‘i and possesses traits that are cause for concern in tropical island ecosystems. Its aggressive rhizome growth allows it to spread rapidly and form extensive, dense stands that can crowd out native vegetation, alter habitat structure, and reduce biodiversity. Along streams and moist slopes, thick bamboo growth can dominate the understory, interfere with native plant regeneration, and change water and nutrient dynamics. Dense thickets may also increase management difficulties by restricting access and requiring intensive removal efforts. Because of these invasive characteristics, black bamboo could detrimentally impact sensitive tropical island ecosystems if left unmanaged. When suitable, choosing low-risk or native alternatives is recommended to help protect Hawai‘i’s unique natural environments.

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized in Hawaii, Australia, and Tanzania.
  
• Documented environmental weed; forms dense thickets that displace native vegetation.
  
• Congeneric weeds exist (e.g., P. aurea).
  
• Shade tolerant.
  
• Tolerates a wide range of soil types.
  
• Forms dense, monospecific stands.
  
• Reproduces vegetatively by rhizomes.
  
• Spreads intentionally via ornamental plantings and unintentionally via garden waste.
  
• Propagules dispersed by water.
  
• Tolerates mutilation and pruning; difficult to control mechanically and chemically.
  
• Can alter fire regimes (fuel for fires).

Low Risk Traits:

• Unlikely to produce spines, thorns, or burrs.
  
• Palatable to grazing animals (cattle eat shoots), though established stands persist.
  
• No evidence of toxicity to animals or humans.
  
• No evidence of prolific seed production or persistent seed bank (reproduction primarily vegetative).