Fargesia robusta

Clumping Bamboo is a tough, herbaceous perennial, evergreen that is native to Sichuan province in China. This bamboo has a narrow form and can reach heights of 10 to 15 feet over 5 to 10 years. It has slender, arching canes and attractive olive green leaves and is sometimes grown as an ornamental. The genus name honors Paul Guillaume Farges (1844-1912), a French missionary and naturalist who worked in Central China.

Clumping Bamboo prefers fertile, moisture-retentive soil, but tolerates most soil types, including clay, as long as the site is moist and well-drained. The plant does best in partial shade in a sheltered site. A number of cultivars for this plant are commercially available. Existing plants can be propagated by division of established clumps or cuttings of young rhizomes in spring.

 Clumping Bamboo is robust, compact, and dense, but is not considered overly weedy. The plant will form dense clumps of deep blue-green canes with creamy-white sheaths. The canes become paler as they mature. The leaves are green on top and blue-green beneath. The plant is not considered invasive, which is common with bamboo, but it will do as well in a container as in the garden. Pruning is optional, except to remove unwanted stems in spring.

Diseses, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No known diseases. Slugs can attack young shoots.