Phyllostachys Bissetii is a vigorous species of bamboo with an upright growing habit. The culms are dark green and tightly spaced together. It is extremely hardy in colder climates and one of the first species of the Phyllostachys genus to shoot in the spring. Bissetii makes an excellent choice for a privacy screen.
Golden bamboo prefers moist conditions. In hot summer months, it may benefit from watering a few times a week if it's held in a container, and at least weekly in a garden environment.
Golden bamboo prefers a full sun position. A partial shade position will also be tolerated, although this can impact on the speed of growth. As your canes mature, you'll see them turning from green to a golden yellow. The change in color will be more pronounced the more sunlight the bamboo receives. It's even possible from them to turn an orangey-pink shade.
This bamboo type prefers a fertile, rich, moist, well-drained loamy or sandy soil. It can, however, cope with a wide variety of soil types. If the soil is poor and infertile, the bamboo may not work so well for privacy screening as it tends to form in clumps instead. But at least you won't have any issues trying to control its aggressive spread.
As with any bamboo type, you should remove any stems that are performing poorly, have died or are damaged. The foliage on golden bamboo starts lower down the cane than on many bamboo varieties. If you want to show off the tortoiseshell pattern to its best effect, you'll want to cut off any branches and foliage closer to the base.
This species is relatively cold-hardy too and can cope with temperatures down to five degrees Fahrenheit, although it doesn't grow as tall or as quickly. In these climates, it usually acts like a clump-forming variety rather than displaying its running capabilities.