Cold Tolerance 9A Advice Needed

[xreadx]

Its been a few years since I have posted on here . Last year temps dropped down ~14-16'F for hours (8 hour stretches), as bad cold front ran through Texas.

I had a lot of mature clumps of Kanapaha(200FT Row), and half of them actually died and never pushed back new canes.
My Bambusa Multiplex Golden Goddess was basically unphased(400FT Row). There was some leaf drop but even the canes above ground didn't die.
Gracillis (400FT Row) had a lot of damage but I dont believe I lost any actual clumps.

I need advice on some Bullet Proof cold hardy tall bamboo.

Three Attributes im looking for:
1) Cold Hardy
2) Tallest I can get
3) Clumper

^^ Thats it.. .. ..

The internet is telling me the answer might be the following
Bambusa tuldoides “Punting Pole” Down to 20'F but its only 30' Tall.
Bambusa dissimulator - Dragon's Nest Bamboo Down to 18' and 50' Tall.
Bambusa dissimilis - Down to 18'F and 40' Tall.

or I could stick with somthing from the family I know does will but these are shorter than I would like...
Bambusa multiplex 'Goldstripe' - Down to 18'F only 25' Tall.
Bambusa multiplex 'Striped Young' - Down to 18'F only 25' Tall.

Appreciate any good info!

-Read

[needmore]

D minor Amoenus can handle the upper 20's for a bit, but B textilis should be hardier as well as B oldhamii. My Oldhamii in north CA got over 30' and never took damage in the upper 20's.

But I suspect all would die at 14F.

[xreadx]

I have about 12 clumps of Oldhamii Hirose. Every even mild winter it takes damage. Its Super pretty till the freeze... Oldhamii is out.

-Read

[needmore]

Hmm, wonder if Hirose is less hardy? My Oldhamii was fine to 26f it never got colder than that.

[Glen]

Its been a few years since I have posted on here . Last year temps dropped down ~14-16'F for hours (8 hour stretches), as bad cold front ran through Texas.

I had a lot of mature clumps of Kanapaha(200FT Row), and half of them actually died and never pushed back new canes.
My Bambusa Multiplex Golden Goddess was basically unphased(400FT Row). There was some leaf drop but even the canes above ground didn't die.
Gracillis (400FT Row) had a lot of damage but I dont believe I lost any actual clumps.

I need advice on some Bullet Proof cold hardy tall bamboo.

Three Attributes im looking for:
1) Cold Hardy
2) Tallest I can get
3) Clumper

^^ Thats it.. .. ..

The internet is telling me the answer might be the following
Bambusa tuldoides “Punting Pole” Down to 20'F but its only 30' Tall.
Bambusa dissimulator - Dragon's Nest Bamboo Down to 18' and 50' Tall.
Bambusa dissimilis - Down to 18'F and 40' Tall.

or I could stick with somthing from the family I know does will but these are shorter than I would like...
Bambusa multiplex 'Goldstripe' - Down to 18'F only 25' Tall.
Bambusa multiplex 'Striped Young' - Down to 18'F only 25' Tall.

Appreciate any good info!

-Read

I have grown most all of these that you mention in Southeast Texas. The Bambusa multiplex family plants are the only ones hardier than B. textilis. The others that you name are consistently less hardy.

In the B. textilis group, Glabra and Gracilis might be a little hardier than some others. I did not lose any healthy B. textiis plants in the recent freezes, although they were very badly damaged in 2021, less so in the 2022 freeze.

For a screen, I use several forms of B. multiplex (Silverstripe, Alphonse Karr, Green Hedge, Goldstripe, and the all green sport of Alphonse Karr). These reach similar heights, but the last one I mentioned seems to be the most robust.

I do stand by Gracilis as a screen in my area. It has received some damage, but all my plants are still healthy, and nothing else can do exactly what it does in the landscape.

[Glen]

Hmm, wonder if Hirose is less hardy? My Oldhamii was fine to 26f it never got colder than that.

I think Hirose might be a little more tender, but both need a decent stretch of mild winters to perform well here, and these recent cold snaps devastated both. Before 2021, there were many beautiful plants in SE Texas, but most are dead now.

[xreadx]

I see your still active on here glen. Maybe I should have just sent you a DM..

So based off what your saying and what i want its between these two...

Bambusa multiplex 'Goldstripe' - Down to 18'F only 25' Tall.
Bambusa multiplex 'Striped Young' - Down to 18'F only 25' Tall.

Thoughts are appreciated
Thanks

-Read

[Glen]

I've grown that species for over 20 years, in zones 8B and 9A. I can't say that I've seen any difference in cold hardiness between cultivars. I have two plants labeled as Goldstripe, and they look just about like Green Hedge to me. I haven't noticed any gold stripes. But hardiness is the same as all the others. The other variety that you mentioned is not one that I have grown, but I have no reason to believe its cold hardness is any different than the rest of the cultivars of the species.

While I don't always practice this, I generally recommend mixing varieties for a screen. Just in case one of the clones flowers and dies, you'll still have something.