Fargesia Species, Hardy Bamboo, Non-Running Bamboo

This is a wonderful plant, both beautiful and well-behaved. Unlike most bamboos, which have earned a bad reputation for running aggressiv...Read Moreely, Fargesia species form clumps which expand only very slowly. This is nowhere a noxious weed or an invasive plant, and no root barriers are needed.

This plant is hardy and evergreen to Z5a, and performs best with protection from afternoon sun. Unlike most bamboos, fargesias prefer light shade, and tolerate heavy shade. They do not perform well in hot summer climates like that of the southeastern US. This clone is said to be more tolerant of heat, full sun, and winter cold than other fargesias. It grows best in rich, evenly moist, well-drained soil.

The habit is gracefully vase-shaped, fountainlike, but more upright than any other Fargesia taxon I've seen. That makes it the most suitable clone for screening. Its maximum height is about 10', but like other fargesias it takes well to pruning.

Bamboos are monocarpic---they die shortly after flowering. With bamboos, this happens only every hundred years or so, and somehow all members of a species all over the world tend to go to flower within a few years of each other. That happened with F. nitida between 2002 and 2008.

But this cultivar is not F. nitida, though it's usually listed that way in nurseries. It is more accurately called Fargesia sp. 'Rufa' or F. dracocephala 'Rufa'. It is likely to be long-lived.

I grow it indoors, this one does not need a resting period like most people think it need - it needs a bit colder temps in winter but 15 ...Read MoreC / 18 C is sufficient. When grown indoors it needs partial shade - give it a few hours of sunlight ( 3 or 4 ) a day but never put it in direct scorching sunlight - avoid midday sun.

i grow alot of plants indoors so my air humidity is good, but this bamboo seems to tolerate indoor dry air better than other bamboo species. It does need alot of water - don't let it stand in a tray with filled with water but do water it daily or once every day or 2 if you can. if it is too dry it will curl it's leaves but they don't fall off as quick unlike other bamboos- they still recover, Can take more cold than most people think , probably around -20 C but it needs to be planted with care in the right season so it can develop it root system.

unlike other clump bamboo this one can be grown in small containers it tolerates lots of root constriction. it also needs more water than your regular bamboo - only plant it in full sun if you have the right site with high water retentive soil.

indoors this bamboo looks way too good - it grows more tall leafless culms with the leaf growth in the canopy just like papyrus. this is already my favorite architectural plant i like it's spreading/tall growing habit. it just looks great when the evening sunlight shines through this plant creating beautiful shadow silhouettes on the wallpaper.

reliable indoor plant without any pests , if you can provide the moisture. do grow it in square pots , it just look better in square shaped pots.

Planted June 09. ITs in an area that gets full sun in the winter and early spring, then as the sun gets hotter, the hedge ( Siberian Pea...Read MoreShrub) gives it dappled or ( open ) shade. ITs protected from the north winds by a fence. IT only put out 2 fall culms, and was subjected to about -10C before i buried it fully under leaves, and 2 layers of plastic.

I uncovered it in early March, it came out a bit wet, but FULLY green and foliated, with the loss of only one leaf.

I posted a pic, and you can see all the new culms it shot , just within this week.

This has givin me the bamboo bug, and I ordered a few more species ( pseudosasa, and Phyllostachys) this year, and will always be looking fer more Fargesia Rufa, and any other from this genera.

Lots of descriptions ive read say it can take full sun, which I dissagree with. IT will do better in only early morning, and evening sun. The best place is underneeth a large tree, or forested section. The leaves tend to curl a bit even in april sun here ( NW ontario). My plant is a "pure" specimin, cloned by tissue culture, and selected fer its look. ITs actualy name is "Fargesia Rufa "Green Panda"". Im assuming "green panda" is the name for all the cones from the initial " perfect" Fargesia Rufa.

It comes from higher elevations in south west China, and is said to be hardy to zone 5 unprotected. IT seems to like cooler temps. My guess is, the hotter the climate, the more shade it may need. In my opinion would be one of the best choices for the pacific northwest regions, or British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. It would probably love the climate of the Maritimes.

The best part of it, is that Rufa is a clumping bamboo. And very tightly so, shooting within the initial clump, with one mabey a half inch away. They also shoot a few culms in the early fall ( september here).

Mine took some suprise freezing rain, with MINIMAL leaf burn. Seems to be very tough and prolific. A MUST for any plant lover, or gardener. The only negative is, youll be wanting more specimins, and will probably give you a craving for more types of bamboo!!

It made it through its third Michigan winter.

It has more winter burn than last year on some leaves, but otherwise no oth...Read Moreer damage than a few clums chopped off by the snow blower. The killed leaves were shed in the spring (2011) and were replaced with new green growth from the existing cane.

This thing really took off last summer. This spring (2011) I chopped it into 4 massive chunks I gave two away, and replanted the other two in locations where they will have better room to grow.