Bamboo’s distinctive appearance, characterized by tall, segmented canes, makes it popular in landscapes and homes. Many unrelated plants have evolved or are cultivated to display a similar cane-like form, often resulting in them being mislabeled or mistakenly purchased as bamboo. Understanding the true nature of these bamboo look-alikes is important for proper care, placement, and managing expectations regarding their growth habits.
What Makes a Plant True Bamboo
True bamboo belongs to the grass family (Poaceae), specifically the subfamily Bambusoideae, establishing it as a woody perennial grass. The defining structural feature is the culm, the main stem, which is typically hollow between the solid, joint-like sections known as nodes. Branches and leaves emerge from these prominent nodes, giving bamboo its signature segmented appearance. Underground, bamboo relies on horizontal stems called rhizomes for growth and spread. The type of rhizome determines the plant’s growth habit: monopodial rhizomes are long and creeping (“running” bamboo), while sympodial rhizomes grow in tight clusters (“clumping” bamboo).
Ornamental and Indoor Bamboo Imposters
One of the most common bamboo imposters is the houseplant known as Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana). This plant is not a grass, but a tropical perennial shrub belonging to the Asparagaceae family. The confusion arises because Dracaena sanderiana is cultivated to display thick, fleshy, upright stems with prominent nodes, visually mimicking the segmented culms of true bamboo. Unlike the woody, hollow culms of bamboo, the stem of Lucky Bamboo is solid. This ornamental plant is often grown hydroponically in water, distinguishing it from most true bamboos that suffer from root rot in standing water. Its leaves are strappy and lance-shaped, arranged alternately along the stem, contrasting with the narrow, grass-like leaves of genuine bamboo.
Aggressive Landscape Bamboo Look-Alikes
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is an aggressive, herbaceous perennial that produces tall, cane-like stems, mimicking the growth habit of running bamboo. These stems are often reddish or purple-speckled and marked with regular nodes, contributing to its misleading nickname, “Mexican bamboo.” Unlike true bamboo, the stems are hollow only between the nodes and solid at the joints. This plant is notorious for its extensive, woody rhizome system that spreads laterally, causing structural damage to pavement and foundations. Its broad, heart-shaped leaves are a clear indicator that it is not a grass.
Horsetail
Horsetail (genus Equisetum) is an ancient, spore-producing plant related to ferns. Species like Equisetum hyemale (Scouring Rush) feature upright, cylindrical stems that are hollow and conspicuously jointed, strongly resembling bamboo culms. The stems are rough due to a high silica content. They reproduce through spores and a deep, spreading rhizome system, making them challenging to remove from a garden.
The Key Differences for Identification
The most reliable way to distinguish between true bamboo and its imposters is by examining the structure of the stem, or culm, and the root system. True bamboo culms are characteristically hollow between the nodes, providing a lightweight yet strong structure. In contrast, Dracaena sanderiana has a solid, fleshy stem, and Japanese Knotweed has a stem that is only hollow between the nodes but solid at the joints.
The nodes themselves offer another distinction. True bamboo nodes often feature a prominent ring or sheath scar, and branches emerge directly from these points. Japanese Knotweed nodes are often covered by a paper-like sheath called an ochrea. Horsetail stems are easily pulled apart at the joints, revealing a sandpaper-like inner surface due to their silica content.
Underground, the root systems also vary significantly. True bamboo spreads via woody rhizomes, either clumping or running, while Dracaena sanderiana possesses a fibrous root system when grown in soil. Japanese Knotweed and Horsetail also utilize rhizomes for aggressive spreading, but their non-woody, dense root masses are biologically distinct from the specialized, jointed rhizomes of true bamboo.