Its colors are reversed from the species, i.e., it has bright yellow culms with a green sulcus. It is the hardiest bamboo with yellow and green striped color pattern. Spectabilis is vigorous and rather rare. Like the other forms of the species, this bamboo makes an excellent hedge or screen due to its fast, upright growth. When grown in a sunny location, the new culms have a spectacular red highlight in the spring and early summer. It is also on excellent bamboo for growing in containers due to its hardiness and upright growth.