From the picture, the bamboo looks fine. The spots get on it down here also but are no problem for the plant. As far as dying and turning yellow, that could just be seasonal due to colder and wetter weather, but Golden bamboo is very hardy and should be fine.

Kt

Hi there, thanks very much for the reply. I was initially alarmed because it was the only plant showing those symptoms, which suggested something was wrong.

Hopefully it is just the weather - it's getting fairly cold here now - and things will right themselves come spring.

Is it getting enough water as compared to the other plants?

Also, I don't see any yellowing except on the culms, which is the normal color for aging culms of that species.

Kt

Hello again - thank you for your reply, it is much appreciated. The plant has had the same water as the others and is in the same soil. I've attached another pic of the shoots that appear dead, at the bottom of the plant.

Hopefully it IS just seasonal, as we need the bamboo to form a privacy screen!

Kind of hard to tell, and bamboo does grow differently in different parts of the country(world) but the Golden Bamboo here looks like that normally after a few cold spells.

I just wonder why the other plants look healthier. I don't think it is anything to worry about. Even if it has a problem, the other plants will spread and fill in that area quickly.

Good Luck and keep us posted on how that plant does and how your screen progresses.

Kt

Thanks for the reply again :)

I'll keep a close eye on it. This is the first year I've grown bamboo, so it's all new to me!

I'd heard that bamboo is pretty hardy though, and not much will be able to kill it off.

Is it getting more water than the other plants? Be sure and let the ground dry out a lot in between waterings especially in colder months. Other than that, I'd just keep an eye on it and see what happens. It doesn't look too bad yet, so could just be seasonal.

Good Luck.

Kt

If the dark mulch is some fresh product that may be hot or salty that may be what is causing what you are seeing.

If that wood edging is all you have to hold the bamboo back that is not likely to be adequate; I have seen golden bamboo popping up all over an entire urban lot in California. A 'Koi' golden bamboo I had removed from here recently once came up about 15 or 20 feet away from the mother plant, without any top growth appearing in the space between beforehand.

Hey bboy, thanks for the reply :)

The mulch hadn't been put on when i noticed the condition of the plant, so it rules that out.

One thing I've read about that does concern me is root rot - we have had an extraordinary amount of rain here in the UK over the last month. If it IS root rot, is it reversible? Can it spread to the other plants?

I take your point about the barriers too. I'm going to have to beef them before Spring :D

They like it damp but anywhere there is lingering standing water most bamboos will not root into.

They like it damp but anywhere there is lingering standing water most bamboos will not root into.

Thanks again bboy. There isn't usually standing water in the area that they've been planted, but over the last couple of weeks we've had some torrential showers.

I fear stem/root rot, so am tempted to dig that particular plant up and isolate it in a pot til Spring next year.