Golden Goddess Bamboo

The  world of Bamboo is really wide and rich. There are so many varieties(around 1500) to look at and be amazed by the different sizes, leaf shapes  and even the shape of the stems. Bamboo is a really unique plant because it will grow and perform however you want it to be. If you have an ugly fence or nosey neighbours, your bamboo plant will act as a screen and will perfectly hide your fence and maintain your privacy. All this behind its glorious foliage. There are so many varieties to suit different garden styles and sizes, and one of the worlds' favourites for screening and hedging is 'Golden Goddess'. It is one of the cultivars of the big family of Bambusa multiplex, native to Southern China. Golden Goddess will perfectly fit into a small as well as a large garden. It is a dwarf variety which will grow up to 3m and will form a rounded bun shape. If grown in a full sun its culms (stems) will turn yellow-gold with age. Golden Goddess has bigger leaves compared to the other members of the B.multiplex family. It perfectly tolerates frosts and temperatures below -12C, which makes it suitable for Adelaide Hills gardens.
So, imagine sitting under your pergola on a sunny day, watching the golden stems playing in the light  and hearing the leaves whispering an old story brought by the wind from the country of the rising sun! Poetic huh! And the best thing is that it grows really quickly (if you treat it right), so this poetry could be true in a year or two in your garden!

Bambusa multiplex cv. Golden Goddess

Bamboo Shoots

One of the large bamboos that you can grow in Adelaide is also grown to produce edible bamboo shoots!
Bambusa oldhamii provides tender, tasty shoots, as well as being a beautiful, erect, tall clump to 6m in our conditions. The culms are shiny dark green  with dark green leaves, and B. oldhamii can cope with heavy frost down to -9 C, so it's fine for the Adelaide Hills or inland areas. The shoot is cut with a spade or heavy knife at the base, then split lengthwise so the outer skin can be peeled off easily. The it is sliced thinly to be added to your next stirfry. It has wonderful crunchy texture and very mild flavour, so it can be combined with any seafood, meat or vegetables.

GINGER GARLIC SHOOTS

Stirfry together finely sliced bamboo shoots, garlic and ginger for 2 min, then add 1 glass of white wine or vegetable stock and cook for another 3-5 min. Season to taste with chilli, salt and pepper.