Bamboo in Idaho

Where to Find Bamboo in Idaho

Bamboo does not grow natively in Idaho. In fact, most bamboo species are not well-suited to Idaho’s harsh climate and soil conditions. Because Idaho has a very cold climate with long winters and short warm, growing seasons, bamboo may not be the best fit for the local conditions. 

That said, you may be able to find certain cold-hardy bamboo species that can grow in Idaho. If you choose the right species, give the bamboo proper care, and protect it from the harshest weather, you may successfully grow bamboo in Idaho.

To help you decide whether growing bamboo in Idaho is the right choice for you, this article covers some challenges and potential benefits for you to consider before planting your own bamboo grove. From there, this article will provide some ideas about places to see bamboo in Idaho today. These could be good places for you to brainstorm bamboo-growing strategies and consult an expert for their opinion about whether growing bamboo is right for you. To get you started, let’s dive into the basics of bamboo before talking about the pros and cons of growing bamboo in Idaho.

What is Bamboo?

Plants known as “bamboo” include species of grass plants belonging to the family Poaceae. Bamboo plants are among the fastest-growing plants in the world. They are well-known for having tall, thin stalks topped by lush foliage. These plants have unique growth habits. Some species grow in clumps (clumping bamboo) while others spread underground through rhizomes (running bamboo).

Historically, humans have grown bamboo to use for many different purposes – including food, construction, paper, medicine, and home goods. This versatile, fast-growing, resilient plant is a renewable resource and can bring multiple environmental benefits.

Bamboo plants also come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. There are also varieties that are well-suited for different climates, require varying levels of maintenance, and have different maintenance needs. Although many bamboo plants are native to tropical parts of the world, including countries in Asia, there are some species that can thrive in colder conditions such as those in Idaho. Choosing the right species can help you achieve your bamboo-growing goals. However, before you plant a bamboo grove, you will want to anticipate a few of the challenges. Let’s discuss these potential obstacles now.

Challenges of Growing Bamboo in Idaho

As mentioned above, you may find that growing bamboo in Idaho is difficult due to several factors related to climate, soil, and other environmental conditions.

First, Idaho has a very cold continental climate. Long, extremely cold winters last for months and are especially harsh in the northern and central parts of the state. This weather can cause your bamboo to become damaged by frost or snow or even die in the cold weather. To address this challenge, you will want to select a cold-hardy species and consider using insulation to protect your bamboo from the worst cold and strong winds.  

Second, Idaho has a very short growing season compared to other parts of the United States. With just a few months of warm weather in which to grow, your bamboo may require longer growing seasons with sun and warmth. Bamboo thrives in sunny, warm weather, so Idaho’s short summers and long winters can be an obstacle to its growth and healthy development.

Third, the soil conditions in Idaho can vary widely depending on the region where you live. From clayey soils to soils full of volcanic ash and rich in organic content to eroded soil in mountain regions, some parts of Idaho have soil that will be more conducive to bamboo growth than others. Typically, bamboo plants grow well in well-drained soil rich in nutrients. Before planting your bamboo, you may want to get the soil tested and modify it accordingly to promote good bamboo growth.

Fourth, Idaho is a fairly dry state that can be subject to droughts. This can prevent good bamboo growth since the plants typically require consistent moisture. Some varieties are more tolerant of drought, but you will want to monitor bamboo plants during dry periods to ensure that your plants have enough water.

How to Grow Bamboo in Idaho

If you decide you want to grow bamboo in Idaho, here are a few tips for helping your plants thrive. First, you will want to look for a cold-hardy bamboo species suitable for the climate of Idaho. A few of these species could be Phyllostachys aureosulcata (Yellow groove bamboo), Phyllostachys bissetii (Bisset’s bamboo), and clumping bamboos in the Fargesia genus. 

From there, be sure to select a place in your yard or garden that gets plenty of sunlight and has well-draining soil. Keep your plant regularly watered and monitor the soil to keep it from becoming either too waterlogged or too dry. To help create a conducive growing environment, you may want to mulch the bamboo plants by using wood chips or straw applied to the base of the bamboo. This can help to keep the soil moist and insulate the plants during the winter. 

Since Idaho can have such extremely cold winters with snow and ice, you may want to either protect the bamboo in the winter or bring the plants indoors. Covering the stalks with burlap or other materials can help keep the plants safe during very cold months. Other people plant or transplant bamboo into pots so that they can be moved into a shed, garage, or indoors during the winter.

After that, you will also want to monitor your bamboo to keep it from spreading out of control, pruning when necessary, and using physical barriers underground to keep it contained.

In general, it is always a good idea to seek the advice of local gardening experts or horticulturalists who can give you tips on growing bamboo in Idaho and suggest the right species for your area. 

Benefits of Growing Bamboo in Idaho

With these challenges aside, cultivating bamboo in Idaho can have some positive impacts. Bamboo offers shade from the sun, groves can give protection from the wind, the tall stalks offer privacy and can dampen the noise from busy roads, and the lush green plants can help create a peaceful home landscape. Bamboo plants have strong roots that can help to stabilize the soil and reduce erosion. They are a natural alternative to building fences or walls. Bamboo can help clean the air and positively impact the environment by reducing the carbon dioxide in the air. Additionally, one of the best impacts of bamboo is the fact that a bamboo grove is a great environment for birds and animals to build their homes!

Others enjoy bamboo because these plants typically grow quickly and are easy to maintain. Since they require little care and attention, are fairly drought-tolerant and pest-resistant, resilient to different weather impacts, and do not require significant pruning, bamboo is a fairly low-maintenance plant that brings plenty of benefits with very little effort.

Bamboo Arboretums and Gardens in Idaho

However, before you begin cultivating your own bamboo grove in Idaho, you may want to observe how local plant experts manage their own bamboo in Idaho. You can connect with experts through the local state university agricultural extension, a Master Gardener club, or plant nursery. Bamboo is not native to Idaho and is not typically found growing in the wild. However, you may be able to find it growing as an ornamental plant in some botanical gardens or speciality plant nurseries.

You could also meet local experts by going straight to a botanical garden or arboretum. These places are often open to the public and focus explicitly on agricultural research. They may have staff who know about growing bamboo or who can speak with you about their experiences cultivating it in Idaho. To help you find these places, the rest of this article includes a few different places where you may be able to access education about bamboo growing or see bamboo in Idaho!

Botanical Gardens and Arboretums

In the U.S., there are countless botanical gardens and arboretums that feature bamboo exhibits and offer plant education. Idaho has relatively few botanical gardens compared to other states. However, there are still a few places you can visit that could possibly feature bamboo as part of speciality displays. Here are a few botanical gardens in Idaho.

Idaho Botanical Garden

The Idaho Botanical Garden in Boise is a popular place to visit and see 14 acres of beautiful gardens. These gardens include native and exotic plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, and herbs. The Idaho Botanical Garden’s mission is to grow the community by connecting people, plants, and nature. 

The garden is open Wednesday to Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last admission at 4 p.m. The garden is closed on Tuesdays. Admission costs $12 for adults, $10 for seniors aged 65 and up, $7 for youth aged 4 to 12, and is free for children aged 3 and under. 

Sawtooth Botanical Garden

The Sawtooth Botanical Garden in Ketchum is a small botanical garden. Because the garden’s focus is on native plants in the Intermountain West region of Idaho, it is fairly unlikely that you will see bamboo on display. Instead, the garden features special garden displays exhibiting native plants. However, you may be able to learn more about native plant species and gain expert advice on how to think about growing bamboo plants in this part of Idaho.

The Sawtooth Botanical Garden’s visitor center is open during the summer from Monday to Saturday from 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. After September 20, the visitor center is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. After that, the visitor centers closes on the weekends until Memorial Day weekend the following May. The garden itself is open daily from dawn to dusk. Admission is $5 per person during the summer from May 1 to October 31. Children under the age of 12 may visit for free.

The University of Idaho Arboretum and Botanical Garden

The University of Idaho Arboretum and Botanical Garden in Moscow in Valparaiso features a diverse display of trees, shrubs, and other plants, with a focus on woody plants. The garden website describes its curation as being an “outdoor museum” of plants. The mission of the garden is to curate a living collection of native and introduced plants that thrive in Idaho. The grounds are organized by geography. The different displays include plants originating in Asia, Europe, and various parts of North America. The plant collections include more than 17,000 plant species.

The arboretum is open from dawn to dusk year-round and offers both free admission and free parking.

Nurseries and Garden Centers

In addition to the gardens and arboretums described above, you may find that visiting a plant nursery is the best chance you have to find bamboo in Idaho. This also brings the benefit of being able to both see and purchase bamboo plants. Nurseries are also a great place to learn about best practices of growing bamboo in Idaho and may allow you to talk with a local expert who can tell you about the challenges and benefits of growing bamboo in your specific part of the state.  

For example, Horseshoe Nursery in Horseshoe Bend offers appointment-only opportunities to see bamboo varieties and purchase plants wholesale.

Other Places to Find Bamboo in Idaho

Another way to find bamboo growing in Idaho is to research local gardening groups, horticulturalist societies, and associations that plan and host events at private estates. This is a great strategy to access gardens that are not typically viewable to the public but may include bamboo as a unique landscape feature.

For example, the North American Japanese Garden Association often features thriving bamboo gardens in their profiles of private home gardeners who create Japanese-inspired gardens. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © silentstock639/Shutterstock.com