Bamboo Gardens of Louisiana

Phyllostachys edulis ('Moso' Bamboo) - the star of the show!...as viewed left and below. The largest of the subtropical timber bamboos, 'Moso' soars to heights of 75 feet at maturity with 7 inch diameter culms, creating a truly awesome, hushed, canopied forest. A similar feeling to that of old growth redwood forests, these majestic groves inspire true amazement, and evoke feelings of quiet reflection and calm.

An unexpected plus, these giant groves actually generate cool air! As one of nature's natural air conditioners, their lofty canopies shade us from the Sun while their culms pull cool water from the ground.......cooling the surrounding air which moves through them. The effect is quite pronounced. In the heat of Summer, there is a 15 degree perceptive temperature difference as compared to areas directly under the mid-day Sun.

These groves reach their maximum height and maturity in 20 years in our climate, but quickly reach impressive heights along the way. Sections of our 11 year old grove are reaching 60 feet with 4+ inch culm diameters. In our area of the Gulf Coast, recently ravaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, many are choosing to re-establish their shady canopies with 'Moso', quick to mature, incredibly strong, flexible and wind resistant. Though these photos are impressive, the enormous scale and gentle grace of this giant bamboo must be personally experienced to be fully appreciated. You, too, can enjoy living in the shadow of this gentle giant.