Phyllostachys dulcis

For those wanting to create a grove of particularly thick culms quickly, this is your plant. Still a rarity, this species has the ability to throw up very beefy green culms with a powdery white-ish band beneath each node from an early age, creating a thicket of tall, leafy shoots up to 6m in the UK. The young shoots are delicious (dulcis meaning sweet), so a good choice for the vegetable garden. Best in full sun.