Fargesia denudata Hardiness
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:19 pm
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!).
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!).