P. bissetii vs. atrovaginata vs. Semarundinaria fastuosa

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JustOneMore
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Location: Europe - USDA Zone 6b

P. bissetii vs. atrovaginata vs. Semarundinaria fastuosa

Post by JustOneMore »

Hi all, 1st post here.

Zone 6b garden (USDA zone temps).
Desire tall narrow screen... doesn't everybody? :)

I'm interested in making a tall relatively narrow screen 1 meter (3 ft) deep and about 10 meters (33 ft.) long.
It'll have a 3 sided rhizome barrier with the front side open and rhizome pruned once or twice yearly.

For this year's screen project I'm having a hard time deciding between:
  • *P. bissetii - dense, dark green, vertical, foliage bottom to top when mature
    *P. atrovaginata - beautiful impressive culms, vertical, naked on bottom foliage on top when mature
    *S. fastuosa - beautiful impressive culms, vertical, a bit columnar, naked on bottom foliage on top when mature.
If I go with P. atrovaginata or S. fastuosa I will keep an existing lower screen of Fargesia robusta 'Campbell' in place (right behind this new taller screen) to provide coverage for the eventual bare lower culms. With the bissetii option I'll get to move the still juvenile robusta 'campbell' to another spot in the yard.

what i'm unsure about is hardiness (specifically for S. fastuosa), and suitability for a narrow screen. I have a feeling that I may have the most success with bissetii but I do crave the culms of the P. atrovaginata &/or S. fastuosa.

I'd love to hear anyone with experience growing these, specifically in a confined space or screening type planting!
thanks
dependable
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Re: P. bissetii vs. atrovaginata vs. Semarundinaria fastuosa

Post by dependable »

In zone 6 I suspect you are best of with P bissetii. Semi fastuosa can be a good looking plant, but will get killed to ground before 0F. I have both of these, but not atrovaginata, but I suspect it its not as cold hardy as bissetii
Alan_L
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Re: P. bissetii vs. atrovaginata vs. Semarundinaria fastuosa

Post by Alan_L »

If you're truly 6b then you might be disappointed with S. fastuosa. Mine topkills (or mostly so) pretty much every winter and therefore does not get very tall -- certainly doesn't look like the impressive photos you see posted.
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