What zones can you grow bamboo

Clumping bamboo, on the other hand, has shorter and thicker rhizomes pachymorph, or sympodial that cling close together, and generally bend upwards to make new shoots right away. These bamboos generally stay within a well-defined space and are unlikely to get out of control. While most clumpers have a footprint that maxes out at a certain size, there are also some open clumpers, which will continue to spread, slowly, year after year.

In most cases, running bamboos are far more cold hardy than clumping bamboos. Most of them are native to places like Central China, Japan, or the slopes of the Himalayas, where the winters typically freeze. Genus Phyllostachys is the most common and widespread group of cold hardy bamboos.

It includes some tremendous timber bamboos as well as some dwarf varieties. Because of their vigorous growth habits, many species work well as privacy screens, but they can also become invasive. There are dozens of species to choose from, but here are just a few. Phyllostachys vivax : This is one of the most popular timber varieties in North America. The giant, golden colored canes are impressive and attractive.

They are runners, but in the colder climates they tend to spread more slowly, not like a Golden Bamboo or a Bisetti. These are runners, but not especially aggressive.

Slower growing than other members of the genus, but among the greatest in size. They seem to do best in zones 7 and 8. Like other Phyllostachys , it is a cold hardy runner. Chimonobambusa quadrangularis : Better known as square bamboo, due to the 4-sided shape of its culms, this exotic variety has a striking appearance that can add a lot to your garden. Great for privacy screens. Grows 12 to 14 feet in height in Zone 5.

Forms a very dense screen with unusual yellow and green striped canes. Reaches 8 to 12 feet in Zone 5. Great as an ornamental specimen and grows well in containers. Not the best for privacy screens and hedges. Native bamboo species! It used to cover thousands of acres in North America. A very versatile plant — they have been found in sandy soils, rock cliffs and mountain slopes, as well as muck lands and rich alluvial areas of the coastal plains.

The perfect choice if you want a very dense, quick bamboo grove or privacy screen that will grow under almost any conditions. Reaches 12 — 18 feet in Zone 5. Also known as Nude Sheath bamboo.

Incredibly cold hardy. Root hardy down to F! Grows 10 feet tall in Zone 5. The new shoots are edible and delicious. This is the best bamboo for the extra cautious gardeners. It will survive even the most unusually harsh winter if it ever comes. The spacing of bamboo will depend on what your goals are. To form a dense screen you should plant it 3 to 5 1 — 1. You can also plant them a bit further apart if you have chosen a fast-spreading runner and are willing to give it some time to fill out.

The growth pattern of bamboo is quite different from most plants — you may be surprised if this is your first bamboo. In the first year, you can expect only a few short shoots if that. But the size and number of new shoots will increase each season until the bamboo reaches its maturity depending on species — about 3 to 5 years. All bamboo plants spread by underground rhizomes, which is a tubular, swollen portion of the root system.

Many gardeners use an underground polyethylene or concrete barrier system to prevent the unwanted spread of bamboo plants. Barrier systems need to be buried at least 30 inches below soil surface. Yellow groove bamboo is used as a privacy screen or boundary marker because of its thick growth habits. Its canes, called culms, sometimes form a zig-zag pattern in the lower portions.

Most bamboo species that tolerate colder climates are running types that spread extensively and rapidly through their rhizome system. Clumping bamboo has shorter rhizomes that spread slowly. Panda bamboo Fargesia spp. This means that, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a small commission if you click through those links and make a purchase. This helps us meet the cost of maintaining our website, producing great articles, and spreading the good word about bamboo.

If you found this article about cold hardy bamboo helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and subscribing to our blog. I live in zone 6-central N-S western Kansas. Try a couple varieties and see which one grows better in your specific soil and climate. Try Phyllostachys rubromarginata red margin bamboo. Also Bashania Fargesii for exceptionally long internodes.

Is there a bamboo that would thrive in this area? So most of the bamboos in this article should do fine in your garden, as they are all cold hardy to sub-zero temperatures.

As long as they get sufficient water in the summer, the high temperatures should not be a problem either. Try calling some local nurseries and see what they have. I live in the middle of the lower peninsula of Michigan. The area in question is swampy and is rarely dry. Often there is standing water, mostly in the Spring.

Temperatures can hit degrees for a few days in the summer and 15 below zero for a few days in the winter. I would like something attractive that might not exceed feet. What spieces of bamboo might you recommend I consider?

Thanks for your help. Hi John, Those are some interesting growing conditions! Phyllostachys parvifolia might be an even better choice. But if there is so much standing water, bamboo might not be your best choice, especially if it stay wet for more than about 5 days at a time. What spieces of bamboo might you recommend to grow down here?????? The plan is to grow bamboo commercially for biomass. Any advice will be useful. Hi I live in Minneapolis Minnesota and am zone 4…looking for a fast growing hedge?

I have Very sandy soil with high pH because of oak trees…any suggestions? Thank you???? I would recommend some variety of Phyllostachys. Most Phyllostachys species tend to do well in the cold, and they are fast growing runners.

To contain it better prevent it from spreading too much , and to avoid the problems of the high pH soil, I would suggest planting the bamboo hedge in a raised bed or some sort of large containers. Hi, really nice article! Thank you for all the detailed information. What is the type of bamboo that can survive in the climate in Bulgaria Europe. I live in area that is between continental and sub tropical climate, but more like continental I guess. Thank you.

It may take a couple years before you know for sure. In any case, they will need to be watered in the summer. You can also try planting in shady or partly shady areas since the summers are so hot. Good day Ori. These are runners, so they need a barrier. I do not know the rules in Bulgaria, but running bamboo may be illegal to plant in some places. The best species for cold zones is Phyllostachys vivax, as it grows largest in colder zones.

In northern France they grow to cm diameter and more than 12 m tall.