| General Description | Phyllostachys vivax f. aureocaulis is a tall, vigorous, clumping evergreen bamboo with yellow canes and dense foliage. Canes grow to their full height in the first year then branch out. |
| ID Characteristic | Canes have grooves on alternate sides between the nodes, leaf-bearing branches are in pairs at each node. |
| Shape | Columnar. |
| Landscape | Makes a good screen or hedge and can be useful for adding height. |
| Cultivation | Grow in a sheltered location, in full sun to part shade, moist, well-drained, humusy soil containing loam. Plants grown in containers should be fed monthly with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the growing season. Can become invasive under more favourable conditions, spreading by surface rooting rhizomes. Thinning out stems shows off canes to best effect. |
| Pests | No serious pests or diseases of note. |
| Notable Specimens | RHS Garden Rosemoor, North Devon, England. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Canes (or culms) are a bright golden yellow, young stems have green stripes. |
| Leaf Description | Typically narrow-lanceolate, up to 20 cm long, drooping. |
| Flower Description | Bamboo plants have a long non-flowering period. Flowering severely weakens the plant but does not kill it–if given the proper time and care they can rebound. |
