The Buddha belly bamboo, or Bambusa ventricose, is a native of Vietnam and the Chinese province of Guangdong. This bamboo is a vigorous and fast growing bamboo with a bushy but upright habit. when in the ground, it can reach up to 25 metres in height and has an indefinite spread. The common name of this species comes from the fact that, in poor conditions, the internodes are short and swollen. The binomial name, Bambusa ventricose, has the following meanings:

• Bambusa-the Latin form of the Dutch word bamboos, meaning bamboo. The Dutch word itself is a modification of the Malay word bambu.
• Ventricosa-a Latin word that means ‘swollen on one side/pot bellied’, in reference to the stems

The leaves of this bamboo are lance-shaped and dark green, up to twelve centimetres in length. If the bamboo flowers, it can become stressed and drop many leaves. On the subject of flowers, there isn’t much information that I can find.

For a happy Buddha bamboo plant, it needs a subtropical climate, with warm temperatures and some humidity, as well as plenty of sunshine. In terms of cold tolerance, this bamboo doesn’t cope well with cold conditions. It also needs a decent amount of water. The soil needs to be rich in organic matter and moist with good drainage.

In the garden, this species responds well to regular pruning. This keeps it looking good and promotes new growth. Remove any diseased, dying or dead shoots close to the ground. Pest and diseases aren’t too much of a problem in general, although there is a potential for aphids and cotton scale. Bamboo borer could also be a potential problem.

As a word of caution with this one. Due to the size and vigour of the Buddha bamboo, think twice about whether you have the space for it in your garden, along with the time to keep it in check when it’s growing.

To the age-old question of whether I would have this bamboo in my garden or not. The answer would have to be no. It isn’t a looks thing in any way, its just the size and potential spread (which is indefinite, so could go a long way). That is way too much stress and maintenance for my liking!