Hardy, widely adapted. Fiery red fall color. A spectacular, fast growing ornamental. A mass of fragrant blue flowers covers the tree before leaves emerge. Huge, heart-shaped leaves are up to 2 ft. broad.
Edible flowers make an exceptionally good honey.
Used in cabinetry. They are beautiful to look at and make effective visual screens. They also make delicious edible shoots in the summer which can be cooked and eaten. Harvesting new shoots can be a means of controlling its spread. Bamboo is shade tolerant, but doesn't tend to spread under shady conditions, so planting in a shady location can also be a means of controlling its spread.