Phyllostachys aurea
Light: Morning sun with afternoon shade is best in Phoenix; intense afternoon sun and reflected heat can scorch foliage.
Water: High water needs in Phoenix; irrigate deeply and regularly to maintain evenly moist, not waterlogged, soil. Increase watering during extreme summer heat; not a low-water desert plant.
Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil enriched with compost. Mulch generously to keep roots cool and moist; alkaline soils may cause nutrient deficiencies.
Mature size: Typically 15–25 feet tall, potentially reaching 30 feet in favorable conditions; spreads indefinitely by underground rhizomes unless contained.
Bloom: Flowers very rarely and unpredictably, often after many decades; not grown for blooms.
Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen; sheds and replaces leaves periodically and may lose foliage under heat or drought stress.
Growth rate: Fast once established with adequate water and nutrients; slower in containers or stressful desert conditions.