Hardy bamboos at zone 6

This is Phyllostachys bissetii this winter.

That was a bamboo acquired March 1997 and the photo (left, foreground) shows what it looked like in November 1998.

Ph. Bissetii on the move in early spring of 2003. This is hardy to -15, will reach maximum height of 23' (18' if dwarf) culms maximum at 1" diameter.

Another bamboo acquired at the same time - Sasa (or Indocalamus) tessellata. Up to 7' tall, 1/2" diameter, -15 degrees, shade plant.

This is the mother plant for the Sasa tessellata. It stays green in the winter.

Very nice! Looks like you have lots of room.
Have you considered any of the larger P. Nigra varieties?
P. Nigra megurochiku
P.Nigra Boryana
or the mother of all nigra's, P nigra Henon (doesnt turn black)

Tom

I thought I would post to show how the bamboos look like in winter. I was given a P nigra, and P nigra henon, P decora and bambusa multiplex 'Alphones Karr' in March 2001. The latter seems to disappear every winter and we've moved it away from the path of the p. bissetii. This is what p. nigra looks like now.

And this is a close-up of the nigra. It can get up to 30' tall and 2" in diameter.

Thank you for posting your photos.. We have and are considering moving back to New Mexico (zone 6/7) and I was hoping to take my bamboos with me. It is good to know how they do in your zone and also that they thrive, I was worried. Now, I am soooooo happy.. Mine are in containers and the p. Nigra has not grown (any shoots at all) but, looks good from a small division. The bissetti has done very well in (2years) from a 1 gallon, it has doubled in a pot..

I would love to see any others you have in your zone. I ordered a couple of others last night (clumpers) 1 gallon pots, so they will be small, but I am patient..lol.

If you get impatient let me know,
I have all three in abundance plus others.
Would be happy to sell field divisions of Ventricosa, Vitatta
I even have some Mexican Weeping in 7G containers.

Please tell me if there is a bamboo that will grow up here?
;~D

This message was edited Apr 23, 2004 8:03 PM

Scoot, this site here has them listed by height, degrees they can take, etc.. I ordered three from them last night. You can get an idea of which ones will survive in your zone, and then hunt them down..

http://www.bamboosourcery.com/bamboo.cfm

BambooTom might have the ones you need also. I am hoping he sends me a list of what he has. I want to try Moso and Robert Young bamboo also..

This is Bambusa multiplex 'Golden Goddess' I got in November 1999, It is a clumping bamboo and the first few years, it died back to the ground, but now this is what it looked like this winter.

Sasa veitchii from May 2001. Does not grow much

Shibatea kumasca, also May 2001. Supposed to get to 7 ft.

Fargesia nitida also acquired from Bambu-u on May, 2001. This is hardy to -20 degrees, will get to 12 ft tall, 1/2" diameter.

Pleioblastys variegatus, also called Pl. fortunei or Dwarf whitestripe. Good to -10 degrees, supposed to get to 4 ft. but it is more like 6 inches. I got it May 2000 from Tradewinds and thought I had lost it along with the Pl. akebono. But this one did come back and started running some last year.

Esther_z6,
Thanks for posting photos of your bamboo. I have a couple of containers of this and it looks like Fargesia, I think. What do you think. here is a pic of it and it grows straight up with dark blotches on it, only I had not been able to identify it.

here it is again in the container..

Well Gourd, I am no expert. It might be a type of Fargesia, there are 16 different ones listed in the Species List of the American Bamboo Society. Just with Fargesia nitida there are 8 different ones.

Fargesia nitida 'Nymphenburg' is described as "Differs from the type by narrow leaves, strongly arching culms and young branches ascending" Your bamboo does show more branching than mine. But it is not "strongly arching", is it? Told you I am no expert.

These are the first shoots it has since I got it. They are growing straight up and have another two containers of this same one, but they are not as tall as this one.. also, I think I may have put two types in this one pot. This fall will take them both out and put them into their own pots. (dunce here) don't know why I did that, guess only reason I have is that I was so new to gardening and everything was overwhelming me....

Bambu-u has some on sale and ordered some from Marc.. I ordered from him two years ago and two are doing great, I did lose one (p. a spectabilis).

He has moso seedlings on sale, he is going to check and see if he has the ones I asked for in stock..

Hi Esther! Love the shots of your bamboo collection! It's fun to see so many different kinds. .. I had no idea there were so many.

Hope to see you at the RU in June!