Cold Hardy Bamboo
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.
Types of bamboo that are hardy to 0ºf to -20ºf
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 'Alata' |
Running |
-10ºf |
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Harbin' |
Running |
-10ºf |
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Harbin Inversa' |
Running |
-10ºf |
Phyllostachys aureosulcata Lama Temple'
|
Running |
-10ºf |
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' |
Running |
-10ºf |
Phyllostachys atrovaginata |
Running |
-10ºf |
Phyllostachys decora |
Running |
-10ºf |
Fargesia dracocephala |
Clumping |
-10ºf |
Fargesia denudata
|
Clumping |
-10ºf |
Name |
Type |
Min. Temp. |
Arundinaria gigantea |
Running
|
-5ºf
|
Fargesia scabrida |
Clumping |
-5ºf |
Indocalamus tesselatus |
Running |
-5ºf |
Phyllostachys dulcis |
Running |
-5ºf |
Phyllostachys rubromarginata |
Running |
-5ºf
|
Phyllostachys vivax |
Running |
-5ºf |
Phyllostachys vivax 'Aureocaulis' |
Running |
-5ºf |
Phyllostachys vivax 'Huangwenzhu' |
Running |
-5ºf |
Phyllostachys vivax 'Huangwenzhu Inversa' |
Running |
-5ºf |
Pleioblastus distichus |
Running |
-5ºf |
Semiarundinaria fastuosa |
Running |
-5ºf |
Semiarundinaria fastuosa 'Virides' |
Running |
-5ºf |
Yushania brevipaniculata |
Clumping |
-5ºf |
Bashania fargesia |
Running |
0ºf |
Fargesia robusta |
Clumping |
0ºf |
Fargesia robusta 'Wolong' |
Clumping |
0ºf |
Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima' |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys aurea 'Golden Bamboo' |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys aurea 'Holochrysa' |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys aurea 'Koi' |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Castillon' |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Madake' |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys edulis 'Moso' |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys heteroclada |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys humilis |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys kwangsiensis |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys nigra |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys nigra 'Boryana' |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys nigra 'Hale' |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys nigra 'Henonis' |
Running |
0ºf |
Phyllostachys nigra 'Megurochiku' |
Running |
0ºf |
Pleioblastus simonii |
Running |
0ºf |
Pleioblastus simonii 'Variegatus' |
Running |
0ºf |
Pleioblastus viridistriatus |
Running |
0ºf |
Pseudosas japonica |
Running |
0ºf |
Sasa veitchii |
Running |
0ºf |
