1 / 4

Key characteristics

Family: Poaceae
Height: 20 to 30 ft
Width: 10 to 20 ft spreading colony
Flower color: Inconspicuous tan grass like flowering rarely seen in cultivation
Foliage color: Bright green narrow lance shaped evergreen leaves
Bloom time: Irregular infrequent flowering cycles often decades apart
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Moderate running rhizomes require containment and removal of unwanted shoots
Growing zone: USDA zones 7 to 10
Wildlife: Provides shelter for birds and habitat for beneficial insects

Perennials

Phyllostachys sulphurea 'Robert Young'

Robert Young Sulphur Bamboo

Phyllostachys sulphurea 'Robert Young' forms upright groves of smooth golden canes brushed with green striping, their polished surfaces catching changing light through the seasons. Slender leafy branches create a soft screen of narrow green foliage that adds filtered texture to garden spaces throughout the year.

Originating from Asian bamboo lineage and selected in cultivation for distinctive cane coloration and ornamental presence, it reflects a long tradition of bamboo growing in East Asian landscapes. Persistent evergreen growth and architectural form provide year-round structure and privacy in sheltered plantings.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Irregular infrequent flowering cycles often decades apart

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Cottage Gardens
Bird Gardens

Companion plants

Bleeding hearts · Catmint · Heucheras · Lady's mantle · Hellebores · Hardy geraniums

Design tip

Foliage and form do most of the work here, so lean on texture and repetition rather than one flowering moment. It takes sun or light shade, which makes it useful along the changing light of a bed edge or a partly shaded border.