FARGESIA NITIDA

    Quail      Prafrance, Judith Verberne

 

Probable height in Southern California within 3 years = 5'

Probable ultimate height in Southern California = 6'

Height in habitat = 12'

Loses leaves around 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Loses canes around -10 to -5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dies around -35 to -30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prefers a mixture of sun & shade.

A clumping bamboo - rhizomes will not run sideways.

Minimum soil depth required for a healthy plant = 1'

Unrestrained rhizome depth in moist soil = 2'

Fountain Bamboo, Arundinaria nitida, Hardy Blue Bamboo.

 

        Resembles Sinarundinaria spathaceus but has dark purple culms covered with a blue-white bloom which mature to purplish black. Like spathaceus it has delicate blue-green arching, hanging clumps of foliage.   Prefers a cool, moist climate with no intense sun. Gets 12' high in a cool climate with shade but only 3' high in a hot climate. 1/2" maximum culm diameter.  In a hot climate it must not have any direct sun on its foliage except in early morning or very late afternoon.  In fact, the best growing location in a hot climate is on the north side of a building, lighted by the open sky but NEVER ANY direct sun.  Or, in a 90% shade house.   Common in England & Germany, where its crisp green foliage persists beautifully even in the coldest weather.  Still uncommon & highly desired to the point that supply does not yet meet demand in the U.S.

The plant flowered & produced seed in 1889, at which time the seed was introduced into the U.S. from China & into England from Russia.

 

        A 5 gallon pot sold at the 1986 ABS auction for $70. 1-5gallon pots were sold at 1991 ABS sales for $25-50 each.

 

        Tim Meier in Wilmette, Illinois had a well-mulched plant that staid evergreen down to -25 degrees F. for short periods. 

        David Andrews reports major leaf damage at 0 degrees & minor branch damage at -8 degrees  

        F.  Pryse Duerfeldt had a 3-year-old plant in Negaunee, Michigan that got -30 degrees F. every year. 

        Carl Hensen had a shaded plant growing in Aberdeen, Idaho which survived -36 degrees F. with no mulch.  

        Scott Malcom had a plant in Whitebear Lake, Minnesota which survived -37 degrees F. in 1994 with no problem.

        Al Adelman in Westford, Mass reported that in winter of 2002 Fargesia nitida was untouched by the lowest temp, which was about -8F with abundant snow cover.