Cold hardy bamboo clumpers?
 

I live outside Milwaukee Wisconsin. Zone 5.
I would love a clumping bamboo. I have been wanting bamboo for many years. I never find the right source. I hope this is the right place to ask.
I have an area with both shade and sun. I do not want a towering variety, but any shorter size will do. I alo need a clumping variety.
Any suggestions? and Where can I purchase? My local nurseries do not have a resource.

Hi!
Type in Fargesia at google,
This link should take you there

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...=Google+Search

I grew a couple varieties in PA Zone 5, years ago.
Fargesia nitida and Fargesia murieliae are their names, of which when I got them in the 80's were called by genus name: Sinarundinaria and Thamnocalamus.

Here in central Texas it's too hot for them to prosper.
Apparently they need cooler summer nights to thrive, and some, even in PA need shade or filtered light to thrive.

Some species have recently gone through a long-awaited and drastic flowering period which often outright kills the mother plant.
But they do produce some viable seed, often with quite variable characteristics, and are available by nurseries
at probably quite variable prices.

Check out the ABS source list, which can be viewed or downloaded, at...
www.americanbamboo.org/SpeciesSourceList.html

Every thing said above is from mental notes, I don't have time to check out Google, so let us know if you find anything out (specially a Fargesia for hot summers/cold winters, eg central US).
regards,
Mark

thank you
 

Mark thanks for your reply. From the link you sent, I was able to find out all kinds of information, about the type of bamboo I would like to grow. Now for a local source, I will have to do the homework. I am working with a great nursery here locally that may order it for me.