Hardiness list
The following is a list of our most hardy bamboos. For the most part these will have little to no damage from temperatures below zero. Keep in mind that even though a bamboo is listed as “top” hardy to a certain temperature, it may be “root” hardy another 10ºf to 15ºf. Mulching with 6″ of organic mater such as leaves, bark or compost will help to insulate roots of your bamboo. Cold, dry winds may affect a plant. There may be top damage, or complete die back. But the plant may still return to normal the next spring by re-growing from the root mass.
Hardy to -10ºf to -20ºf, or USDA zone 5
Name Type Min. temp
| Fargesia murielae | Clumping | -20ºf |
| Fargesia nitida | Clumping | -20ºf |
| Fargesia rufa | Clumping | -15ºf |
| Phyllostachys nuda | Running | -10ºf |
| Phyllostachys bissetti | Running | -10ºf |
| Phyllostachys aureosulcata | Running | -10ºf |
| Phyllostachys aureosulcata ‘Aureocaulis’ | Running | -10ºf |
| Phyllostachys aureosulcata ‘Spectabilis | Running | -10ºf |
| Phyllostachys atrovaginata | Running | -10ºf |
| Phyllostachys decora | Running | -10ºf |
| Fargesia dracocephala | Clumping | -10ºf |
| Fargesia denudata | Clumping | -10ºf |
Hardy to 0ºf to -10ºf, or USDA zone 6
Name Type Min. temp
| Arundinaria gigantea | Running | -5ºf |
| Indocalamus tesselatus | Running | -5ºf |
| Phyllostachys dulcis | Running | -5ºf |
| Phyllostachys nigra ‘Henon’ | Running | -5ºf |
| Phyllostachys rubromarginata | Running | -5ºf |
| Phyllostachys vivax | Running | -5ºf |
| Phyllostachys vivax ‘Aureocaulis’ | Running | -5ºf |
| Sasa veitchii | Running | -5ºf |
| Semiarundinaria fastuosa | Running | 0ºf |
| Bashania fargesii | Running | 0ºf |
| Chimonobambusa marmorea | Running | 0ºf |
| Fargesia robusta | Running | 0ºf |
| Hibanobambusa tranquillans ‘Shiroshima’ | Running | 0ºf |
| Phyllostachys Aurea ‘Koi’ | Running | 0ºf |
| Phyllostachys bambusoides ‘Madake’ | Running | 0ºf |
| Phyllostachys heteroclada | Running | 0ºf |
| Phyllostachys humilis | Running | 0ºf |
| Phyllostachys nigra | Running | 0ºf |
| Phyllostachys nigra ‘Boryana’ | Running | 0ºf |
| Phyllostachys nigra ‘Megurochiku’ | Running | 0ºf |
| Pleioblastus simonii ‘Variegatus’ | Running | 0ºf |
| Pleioblastus viridistriatus | Running | 0ºf |
| Pseudosasa japonica | Running | 0ºf |
| Semiarundinaria yashadake | Running | 0ºf |
