Bamboo Wish List

Here's the list of bamboo that I'm going to order :

Thamnocalamus tessellatus

Maximum height 15 feet
Diameter: 1 inch
Hardiness 5º F
USDA Zone recommended 8 through 10

One of best clumping bamboos for a sunny location. It is also more upright than our other hardy clumping bamboos. This bamboo is from South Africa, where it is called Bergbamboes, or mountain bamboo; it is the only African bamboo hardy enough to grow in the Pacific Northwest. It is an unusual bamboo, having very thick culms in relation to its height. As you can see from the pictures, it forms a tight clump, unlike the open clump reported in some publications.



Pleioblastus fortunei

Common Name: Dwarf Whitestripe
Height: maximum 4 feet, usually 2 feet
Hardiness: 10° F
USDA zone 7b through 10

Growing to an average height of 2.5 feet, this plant has bold white-on-green variegated leaves. Sometimes growing taller, it can be kept short by mowing or clipping back the foliage to ground level in the spring before the plant sends up new shoots. It grows best in shade but can tolerate up to 6 hours of direct sun (in Portland, Oregon). Formerly called Pleioblastus variegatus, and one of our most desired groundcover bamboos.



Pleioblastus viridistriatus

Common Name: Dwarf Greenstripe
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Hardiness 0° F
USDA zone 7 through 10

Leaves that are chartreuse with green stripes make this one of the most beautiful bamboos in spring and early summer. Partially deciduous, even in mild winters, it is best mowed to the ground each spring to maintain its attractiveness. Although listed as hardy to 0° F, this bamboo is perennial even in Minnesota. The bottom of the leaves are covered with fine hairs, making this bamboo very resistant to the bamboo mite.




Pleioblastus pygmaeus

Common name: Pygmy bamboo
Height: 2 feet
Hardiness: 0° F
Recommended for USDA zone 6b through 10

This little bamboo is very similar to Pleioblastus distichus, but its leaves do not display the fern-like leaf grouping. Pygmy bamboo is one of the smallest bamboos, and its leaves are also very small. It is one of the best of the dwarf bamboos for use as a bonsai. This variety has minute hairs, noticeable only upon very close inspection, on the leaf sheaths and also on the leaves. Both this bamboo and Pleioblastus distichus are commonly used in Japanese gardens, often clipped to a height of only a few inches.




Pleioblastus kongosanensis 'Aureostriatus'

Expected Height: 3 to 4 feet
Diameter: 0.4 inches
Hardiness: 0° F
USDA zone 6b through 10

The leaves are dark green with occasional gold striping, The undersides of the leaves are covered with fuzzy hairs, making it extremely resistant to bamboo mites. This bamboo is mostly deciduous in cold climates.



Bambusa multiplex 'Riviereorum'

Common Name: Chinese Goddess
Maximum Height 12 feet
Container Height: 6 feet
Hardiness: 12º F
Recommended for USDA zone 9a - 10

'Riviereorum' is a striking bamboo with very small leaves on slender culms. This bamboo makes a wonderful container plant. This, like other forms of Bambusa multiplex, are among the best bamboos for the interior. In cooler climates this bamboo often grows only 6 or 7 feet tall. It is also distinguished from other forms of multiplex by its solid stems.


Pseudosasa owatarii

Maximum Height: 2 feet
Diameter: 0.3 inches
Hardiness: 0° F
USDA zone 7 through 10

This bamboo is probably the smallest hardy bamboo, and is native to Yakushima, a small island in Japan. Its leaves are similar but more slender than Pleioblastus distichus. Ours has grown only about 12 inches tall.


Pricing from bamboogarden.com is as follows:

Bambusa multiplex 'Riviereorum' "Chinese Goddess" $20.00
Thamnocalamus tessellatus "Bergbamboes" $25.00
Pseudosasa owatarii $20.00
Pleioblastus variegatus "Dwarf Whitestripe" $10.00
Pleioblastus viridistriatus "Dwarf Greenstripe" $10.00
Pleioblastus pygmaeus "Pygmy Bamboo" $8.00
Pleioblastus kongosanensis 'Aureostriatus' (discounted) $8.00
Chimonobambusa macrophylla 'Intermedia' $10.00

Plus $28.50 for the shipping for 10 1Gal size.