Fargesia denudata Hardiness

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johnw
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Fargesia denudata Hardiness

Post by johnw »

Fargesia denudata has been elected bamboo of the year for 2015 by the European Bamboo Society. Friend, Dr. Steffen Greiner, is writing an article on F. denudata and thought it priudent that he should mention the hardiness issues that many have reported in the mid-west and east of North America.

He says in today's email:

"Given the climate at the collection site it should be pretty hardy:
"The climate is characterized by dry, cold winters and wet,
cool summers. Annual precipitation is strongly seasonal with
most (85%) of the ca. 1100 mm falling during the April–
October wet season. Snowfall is common between November
and April above 2500 m. At 2820, in the central part of the
reserve, the mean annual temperature is 2.3 °C and the mean
monthly temperature is highest in August (12.1 °C) and lowest
in January (-7.2 °C)." Collection sites are between 2820 and 3020 m. "

I wonder if those who have had luck with or failed with denudata could write in and briefly summarize the low temperatures which this bamboo has or has not tolerated. Or any other insights for that matter. Time is of the essence so comments can be brief.

It does seem odd that the rainfall patterns in its homeland is opposite to that of the west coast where it seems to perform well. Note JWH got his denudata from Booshoot and due to a mix-up there it turned out to be Himalayacalamus falconeri. Is it possible that's what we all got? I got 1 from Kimmei that died in a mild winter, 2 from Briggs Nursery that died in very mild winters and/or was eaten by voles through the winter and now have Lancaster form that died back 80% in the cold house at +5c (about 38F!).
johnw coastal Nova Scotia
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JWH
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Re: Fargesia denudata Hardiness

Post by JWH »

I recently got ahold of a real Denudata (Thanks to Grabhorn!) and will be planting it soon.

That H.Falconeri has bounced back nicely by the way. Thanks again for sorting it out John!
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needmore
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Re: Fargesia denudata Hardiness

Post by needmore »

Had the proper one for several years, added a larger one a few years back. Here it will releaf nicely after -18C, has some damage from there to -19C or so and then culm death much below that. Side by side with F nitida last winter both top killed equally. New shoots on these two were about 15-18 inches after being 2 meters prior. My large denudata is now almost fully gone thanks to termites.

For what its worth, here denudata & nitida are similar in hardiness leaf bud hardy to -18C, top killed at -20C.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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Re: Fargesia denudata Hardiness

Post by dependable »

The one I have had moderate leaf damage last winter in a sheltered spot. Looks good now. I figure it got to around 0f or a little colder. OK...sigh....-18-20C.
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Re: Fargesia denudata Hardiness

Post by Tarzanus »

Lancaster 1 is struggling. It was not harmed during -12C, without any snow cover and with moderate northern winds. It was demolished by voles, so I ended with poor specimen anyways. During the winter, some of the leaves turned purple. Most of them fell off in the early beginning of the spring.
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