Green panda bamboo ( Fargesia rufa), and "tropicanna black"

Discussion in 'Outdoor Tropicals' started by Canadianplant, Jun 1, 2009.

  1. Canadianplant

    Canadianplant Active Member

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    Location:
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    Just got back from home depot, and found these plants. Now the care for the canna lillie is pretty simple, but the care for the bamboo seems a bit inconsistant.

    The label says "thrives in sun, and can tollerate partial shade". But the sources on the net say that it cant be in mid day sun in warmer climates. Our summers in
    NW ontario are hot an humid for the most part. So what is the best way to take care of it??? Thanks
     
  2. kaspian

    kaspian Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Maine coast, USA, zone 5
    I haven't grown Fargesia rufa, but I've grown other Fargesias, and I think you'd be safe growing this plant in partial sun in Ontario. But I do think it should be shaded from direct mid-day sun and also during the hottest parts of the afternoon.

    An ideal setting might be on the eastern or northeastern side of a house, and/or beneath tall deciduous trees that would allow some dappled sunlight to penetrate for much of the day. These plants also seem to like a steady supply of moisture (at least enough to keep them from drying out completely).

    I don't give my Fargesias any special winter protection. During snowy winters, the canes bow down under the weight of snow, which keeps them green. The parts of the canes that are exposed to winter winds will probably lose their leaves and may be killed back to the snow line. (They still look pretty, even in death, sticking up and arching gracefully above whatever snow is lying around.) New shoots will appear in late spring or early summer.

    For the first year, while the plant is still getting established, it wouldn't be a bad idea to bend the canes down (gently but firmly) close to the ground in late autumn -- after all the leaves have fallen and the ground has begun to freeze, so we know that the plant has gone into its winter dormancy -- and weight the canes down with evergreen boughs. You don't need to cover the plant completely. This will usually suffice to keep the leaves green through the winter. Next spring -- after the ground has thawed -- you can uncover the canes and they will return to their normal upright position.
     
  3. Canadianplant

    Canadianplant Active Member

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    So should i try to protect the roots in the winter??? Im assuming the ground freezes in a zone 5. Im conciderd a 4, but i may have a microclimate of 5 in my yard.

    Since were talking about it, im assuming it clumps, like a palm tree almost. Now can i uproot some of the new shoots and replant them to other places outside??
     

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