Hardy Tropicals UK

I'm taking out the remainder of my conifer trees & was thinking of useing these planted every 2ft apart or so to create a nice hedge at the top but thick canes on show at the bottom?, how do people rate it?, i already got most of the other family members of phyllostachys inc large aurea, spectabilis, aurea autacaulis, nigra, plus a few i cant remember!!, i was also thinking of a bissetti but i think the castillonis would look more striking, i'd like to start off with about 3metre high plants in about 15/20 litre pots. karl.

Wouldn't fargesia robusta be a better option at that planting distance for a hedge. The timber bamboos look leggy at the bottom and when mature the foliage starts above head height.

P. bambusoides castillonis is a nice bamboo but for a hedge I'd suggest P.bissettii is a better choice. It is much more vigorus and creates a dense screen in a relatively short space of time.

Thanks andy, does the bissetti grow thick culms though, as eventually i would want to strip say the first 4ft & have nice bushy foliage on the top. karl.

The thickest culms on my P.bissettii are just under 2cm which has only been in the ground for a couple of years. I don't think they get any thicker than about 2.5cm even when fully mature. Maybe someone can correct me on that?

castillonis will take many years to mature its slower than other bamboos.bissetti would be a great screening bamboo but culms would be an inch or so.

Jacko, the the castillonis i'm thinking of getting are already 3metres high & very bushy so i would not be in any rush for them to grow bigger quick. karl.

go for it karl i think it will look stunning in a few years.its a nice bamboo to have.