Phyllostachys nigra 'Henonis'

Height: Up to 5 metres

Common Name: Henon Bamboo

Our favourite Victorian, A.B. Freeman-Mitford, could barely contain himself when describing this "most beautiful member of a beautiful family". It is, he says "the embodiment of every grace to which plant life is heir." He also notes (and he'd never get away with this nowadays) that "in plant or in woman perfect health is the best of all cosmetics... Droughty summers have not been able to parch it," and "ice-bound winters have failed to starve it." In other words, this is a remarkably drought-resistant and hardy bamboo - as well as being a real stunner, with slim, arching canes that are bright-green when young and buff-yellow when mature. The delicate, thin leaves tremble in the gentlest breeze, which explains the Japanese name, "Ha-chiku", meaning "light and volatile bamboo". The rootstock is running, but moves so slowly that this beautiful bamboo never becomes invasive. Obviously it makes a gorgeous specimen plant (in the open ground or in a large container), and it works equally well as a close-knit screen or grove.