Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima'

[Mike McG]

I picked up a pot of Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima' at a backyard plant sale in Houston today. The leaves remind me some what of my Sinobambusa tootsik 'Albostriata'. Here it is an example in the picture section (not mine):
<img src="http://www.bambooweb.info/images/bamboo ... hima33.jpg" alt="Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima'">
The H. t. 'Shiroshima' is listed as hardy to 0?F, which means my son could probably grow it in northern NJ if correct. I am suspicious when I see 0?F that it might be because at one time it was blank and the blank was then converted to 0. Are any of you in USDA Zone 6a/6b successfully growing this bamboo?

Mike near Brenham TX

[needmore]

Top kills every winter here, even at +3F for the low. It always looks like it will hang on but...nope. Still it comes back just fine and is well worth growing. The green form for me has been much faster to get going.

[Eastlandia]

Mike, mine is just starting to shoot. but like needmore said, even with it dieing back each year, I think looks just fine. I dont remember what needmore had for a max height last year, but after I moved mine in July from a shady location to a sunny location, it topped out around 3.5 feet. I think this year the arching culms can reach at least 5.

[Mike McG]

Brad and Brian,

Thanks for the feedback. I think I will first see if it will size up here in TX where it should not have any problem with the winter temperatures and then give my son a larger start to grow as potentially a die-back perennial in NJ.

Mike McG near Brenham TX

[igrowbamboo]

igrow mine in the afternoon shade,
helps to keep the leaves lookin' purdy.

[ocimum_nate]

Mine wintered over here in Utah. Nothing on the top but it was a division I dug in October of last year so I had no grand expectations for it so far no disappointments.

[Brian_K]

Hmm, mine did not top-kill entirely. Just about the upper half of last years 2ft culms died. It did lose most of its leaves, but the winter was harsh after all. It has already regrown leaves and put up a bunch of shoots. I can also see a long bump in the ground where a rhizome is traveling parallel to the foundation.
<img src="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/b ... re1140.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket">

[Eastlandia]

BrianK,
im pretty sure that yours overwintered because of the foundation. Heat radiating off of the foundation of my greenhouse always makes the species surrounding it shoot first.

[john voss]

at the yahoo bamboo forum recently, mike turner reported a max. ht. as 18' in south carolina. in south la. mine is 7' after four years, in full sun, on a mound. some leaf browning in low 20's over winter. lots of action this spring! very nice plant frequently confused with arundo donax by the unsavvy which for some reason irritates me...must work on that!

[Mike,Marietta,SC,z8a]

Here's shots of my Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima'
<a><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/ ... sa1206.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>
<a><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/ ... f828fb.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

[Michigan Bamboo]

My Hibanobambusa tranquillans ?Shiroshima? topped out at 6' last year. It dose have total top kill every year but comes back strong.
It should work very well in NJ it warmer then Detroit

[Mark_NoVA]

Mike, 0 degrees would make it a zone 7, not a zone 6 plant. A little south here in zone 7a, it did great for me this past winter.

[bambooweb]

I am in zone 5b/6 and when I got it, it was 8 feet tall in the pot then after -24*F it came back up at 8 inches. It has slowly increased in size over the years and looks like it will get over 3 feet tall this year.

It is a nice looking plant even if it does not reach it's full size.

Bill

[foxd]

Mine has stayed under two feet tall ever since I planted it. It spreads like crazy, the most aggressive bamboo for its size that I have. It hasn't ever been top killed by the winter weather, though it did have leaf damage from that prolonged cold snap. Since I have it planted in shade, I wonder if that has an effect on its height?

[Mike McG]

Mike, 0 degrees would make it a zone 7, not a zone 6 plant. A little south here in zone 7a, it did great for me this past winter.

Mark,
I am not sure if I am the Mike you were directing this comment to, but thanks anyway. I view plants that come back from the roots (or rhizomes) differently from those that are killed outright at a certain temperature. Although it is zone 6, I believe it rarely gets down below 0 F where my son lives in Parsippany NJ and so most years H.t. 'Shiroshima' should do OK if it truly can handle down to 0 F without being culm killed. It sounds like it is worth the chance to bring my son a division once it gets bigger. It probably will not reach its full potential size in NJ if it is killed above ground on occasion but it is a very ornamental bamboo that it would look good planted near the house where it would be more protected (with a barrier).

Mike near Brenham TX