Fargesia dracocephala 'Rufa'

Hailing from the mountains of western Sichuan, China, these dreamy, calming*, clumping bamboo bring the quiet meditation of contemplative Asian gardens. They can be grown in containers or in the ground, providing evergreen foliage and soft, whispering leaves with every breeze. Unlike running bamboo, they form dense, slowly-creeping clumps and are very well-behaved. We have even tested this our ourselves, as seen in photo #2, which was planted in 2020 (or earlier). See the last photo for 10 year old plants that were planted in shady conditions, that work beautifully as an evergreen screen.

They are sometimes called "patio bamboo", as they are ideal for planting in beautiful containers and enjoying on a patio or deck.  They can also be planted as stunning hedges if you put them in partial shade and are patient.

Dought and heat tolerant once established. Be generous with water and cow manure to help them get a strong start in your garden. They will also appreciate mulch, especially in winter.

❤️RCN Staff Favorite - we are growing these in our own gardens and recommend them!

🦌Deer-resistant - deer avoid these plants.

Sun to partial shade.

6-10'T x 6-10'W - they'll be taller when planted in partial shade. The Fargesia we planted here at RCN is in full, blazing sunlight, and in challenging conditions overall, it is currently 3-4' T. Plants in containers will naturally stay smaller.

Zones 5-8, cold hardy down to -15F when planted in the ground. Plants in containers are less cold hardy.

💚Plant Nerd: These are one of the species of plants that pandas feast upon! While they are evergreen, they will shed older foliage in spring, while also growing fresh new leaves.

*🌿Seriously Relaxing: There is scientific evidence that looking at living bamboo plants lowers blood pressure, improves relaxation, creativity, and overall attention. A 2016 study on landscape architecture students in Sichuan, China studied their physiological and mental wellness after looked at a small container of bamboo, and found significant results compared to the control group after only 3 minutes! Wow! Plants are truly amazing.

Our pet Fargesia is located down near the interstate, in a bed right near the evergreen Azaleas. It was planted both for beauty and as an experiment to see if it could handle the fairly harsh conditions there. It is currently a thriving clump.

Their Genus name honors Paul Farges, a French missionary and naturalist in China.