It depends on how well establihed the root/rhizome system is and if you are going to keep it in a pot or plant it in the ground.

In a pot, it may take a bit longer, especially if the soil is kept too moist, which I tend to do here. If kept in a pot, I would recommend letting it dry out somewhat, in between waterings.

It should be shooting soon, then the rest of the Summer, it will be growing new roots/rhizomes and getting ready for shooting next year. The shoots should get larger each year, unless kept in a pot, where they won't get very large unless it is a big pot.

So having said all that, it can reach 5 foot this season, if the rhizomes are there to support that amount of growth, but by looking at the photo, I think a year or two, depending on the growing conditions.

One other note, black bamboo doesn't like full sun. Here, it likes mostly shade.

Good Luck.

Kt

Your bamboo looks like it's about a foot high, so I'd say 2-3 years.

ok thanks so much guys, i will be planting it in te ground very soon, but i have a question.

In the pot there are these little green leaves coming up, and i am wondering if they are shoots, because they aren;t in the usual cone shape of most shoots, here is a pic

{{gwi:408326}}

If you can see those little green dots, those are what i believe to be new shoots. Are they?