Plant in full sun to light shade and irrigate occasionally. Has proven harden in our area to short duration temperatures down to 20-25° F. It is an interesting specimen bamboo used as an individual specimen for a focal point in the garden.

Bambusa ventricosa is native to Vietnam and to Guangdong province in southern China. The name for the genus comes from the Dutch word 'bamboes' or 'bamboo' that was a modification of Malay word 'bambu' and the specific epithet is from the Latin words 'venter' meaning "belly" and 'osa" meaning "abundance" in reference to the swollen culm internodes.

We previously grew a form of Bambusa ventricosa that reached to 30 feet tall and had straighter culms that arched outward and this form is now often referred to as the Giant Form, but the form we now offer is shorter with more distinctly bulging culms and is sometimes called Dwarf Buddha Belly Bamboo, Wamin Bamboo or Vulgaris Bamboo. 

The information about Bambusa ventricosa that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.

Please note that after 46 years in business, San Marcos Growers will be discontinuing nursery operations by the end of 2025 and the property will be developed for affordable housing.