Narrow Bamboo Fence, Fragesia jiuzhaigou vs. Fragesia Nitida

[BambooNJ]

Hello everyone.

I have been having much trouble deciding what bamboo variety to use for a narrow privacy fence I would like to grow.

My home is on a corner suburban lot, and I would like to provide more privacy from our neighbors and street pass byers but not sacrifice land or yard space and not have a plant affecting walking space on the sidewalk.

My research has led me to choose between either Nitida and Jiuzhaigou because of their narrow and tall growth, which compared to Rufa that looks like a bush rather than a bamboo grove in my opinion.


My concern is which one would be best for my area and if any of them would be better for a nice narrow and tall privacy fence. I have heard Nitida can be a bit weeping which I wouldn't mind as long as it is on the top part and not the whole plant.

I slid would like a plant that is colorful yet grows tall. Does the nitida lose leaves like the jiuzhaigou?

I also found someone in my North NJ area that caries them: http://www.bamboolivingfence9.com/farge ... amboo.html

I would appreciate some assistance in making my decision between the two or a better option for a clumping bamboo variety. Thank you.

[dependable]

In the other tread you started, someone suggested F robusta. Although green mostly, it does have a fairly upright habit and grows to 12-14 ft quickly for a Fargesa. One downside is it is not as cold hardy as your other selections. It will suffer culm death just below 0 f. I have one in open was that killed to ground last winter, the ones with some shelter were not damaged much. The 'green screen' cultivar is less upright and perhaps less hardy(that's the one that was ktg last winter) than strait robusta. Unlike your other selections, its leaves are larger and stay open and green.

Jiuzhaigou lost most of its leaves here last winter, and even when they don't loose leaves, they are curled up a lot of the time. The one I have is pretty slow growing. On the plus side, the culms are a pretty shade of purple/red.

F nitida does not loose its leaves as much, but as I mentioned before, they are pretty quick to curl up. All the old nitidas in my collection have flowered, 'Mclure' is only in 2nd year of flowering, and made it though the winter fine. None of the new generation nitidas I have seen are mature enough to know exactly what they will be like. Largest one I have grows pretty fast, curls its leaves the moment it is hit by direct sun.

[oobmab]

Have you considered Pseudosasa Viridula? Not a clumper, but not a fast spreader either. Should be hardy for your zone.

[moriphen]

In your other post I tried to tell you a western exposure along with 4+ hours of sunlight will make most fargesia weep in our environment. F. robusta 'campbell' is a good choice due to its thick culms and relatively small leaves. I have it and its rather upright all year long with 5-6 hours of sunlight. Another choice is F. sp. Scabrida, mine is very upright (12ft tall) but is prone to being a open sprawling clumper. Each culm can be upwards of a foot away from each other, so it may be to become too wide too fast. Both will hold their leaves to around 5º F, culm death occurs around 0º F

If you are set on getting a fargesia jiuzhaigou I have personal experience with cultivar #1 and cultivar #4. Cultivar #4 is what i would suggest, but you will lose privacy from Late November to early April depending on how bad the winter was. Both weep about 2 to 3 feet outward since they receive 6 hours of morning and or mixed afternoon sunlight. I do not personally have any F. nitida''s since they were in flowering when i was assembling my collection; but i hear they behave very similar to F. jiuzhaigou save for most new seedlings having only green culms.

[JWH]

I also would echo looking into Fargesia Robusta 'campbell' for your privacy fence.

[BambooNJ]

Hello everyone.

Thank you for your informed suggestions. I am
Actually starting to consider Robusta Campbell. My only concern is that of cold hardiness. I am in North Jersey which is zone 6 I believe and I don't want my bamboos dieing and freezing up.

Is there another variety of fargesia exactly like robusta in terms of height, tall/narrow growth but that would be more cold hardy?

Also which Fargesias are more fast growing? Are robustas faster growing?

Thank you.

[BambooNJ]

I forgot to ask.

Does robusta cambpell or scarbida loss it's leaves like jiuzhaigou?

Also is the only difference the coloring between scarbida and cambpell? I do like how the culms are very close in growth for the Campbell should make a very nice narrow hedge.

Will these varieties be seeding anytime soon?

Thank you.

[BambooNJ]

Ok since no one has replies I have decided to go with scabrida.

The fact that It is more cold tolerant is important. Though I saw how beautifully robusta can make a fence I don't want it dieing if it gets below 0'.

The coloring is also very nice and the fact that it can make a more narrow fence according to bamboo gardens.

No I have a new question. Are divisions better than tissue cultured plants?
What price range is fair for a 1 and 2 gallon scabrida?

Thank you...hopefully I can get some replies.

[needmore]

Jumping in late here but if your winter lows can approach or fall below 0F, I would avoid the Fargesia genus entirely for a privacy screen. When they do get cold damage they take forever to regain size. You will likely be quite disappointed if that happens, so what is the likelihood of that temp for your area? Also for screening you should start with LARGE ones or wait a very long time for 2 gallon size or smaller to reach a decent screen.

[moriphen]

Also for screening you should start with LARGE ones or wait a very long time for 2 gallon size or smaller to reach a decent screen.

Speaking from direct experience, a 2 gallon mountain clumping bamboo that does not have variegated leaves takes 5 years to get near suggested trade dimensions.

[johnw]

Just found this and talk about Phyllos growing in tight spots......

http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/kevin ... c.jpg.html

johnw - +11c, drizzle & fog

[Leo S]

If you can work out containment, nothing beats the medium size Phyllostachys for privacy screen. BUT you MUST work out a barrier. Narrow but long beds are great for Phyllostachys.

The yellow culm varieties are the 'best' in my opinion. Get one that is more cold hardy than your zone. Phyllostachys aureosulcata fma. aureocaulis for bright yellow, P. a. fma 'Spectabilis' for yellow with random green stripes. Both are high visual impact and have leaves starting low on the culm. They can make a dense screen quickly. They are zone 5 hardy, you should keep leaves most winters. But you do need a root barrier to 30 or 36 inches or down to compacted hardpan subsoil if your soils are shallow.

You can't beat P. atrovaginata for cold hardy and nice medium-dark green. Another good screen bamboo.

I have been disappointed with the slow growth and lack of visual impact of both F. nitida and F. murielae in my zone 5b. Young small plants of Fargesia take forever to size up - I mean over 5 years my murielae seedling is still less than 3 feet tall from a one gallon seedling. My nitida - an old clone - grew it from 1985 to 2009 when it flowered and died out, it was always wispy, never developed any density. Pretty culms, but leaves would be curled all winter. It survived record cold several times, including the winter of 84-85 when we had real temps of -25 F. BUT it never was much to look at compared to the Phyllostachys.

Fargesia make a nice accent where something grassy or wispy is needed. Not a good choice for a screen.

Just my 2 cents.