Photo copyright: Noah Bell, 2007
White culm sheaths create a checker board color pattern in late spring through summer, beautiful!
 
photo copyright: Ned Jaquith, 2003
A Fargesia robusta at Ted Meredith's garden
 photo copyright:  Ned Jaquith 2005 
At our nursery, we dug a large F. robusta out of the ground  and washed the soil away from the root mass.  Look at all those new shoots!  In February, new  F. robusta canes emerging from the ground remind us that spring is just around the corner.

Maximum Height: 12 to 15 ft.
Diameter: 0.75 inch
Hardiness:  -4° F
USDA Zone recommended 7 through 9, not for climates with high heat and humidity (southeastern states).

Fargesia robusta is a  good choice for a clumping bamboo that can create a narrow screen, being taller, more upright, and more robust than Fargesia nitida and Fargesia murielae. This species has dark green foliage and light green culms, with new shoots that are hairy and rusty red upon emergence from the ground in early spring. The culm sheaths persist and soon fade to a light color, almost white, giving the culms a very attractive checkerboard look in the spring through early summer. This bamboo is more sun tolerant than most other Fargesia, but in a warmer climate it would prefer protection from the hot afternoon sun. We have one growing in full sun that has never shown any sign of leaf burn. It is more compact than one would be with shade (about 10 feet tall), and a slightly lighter shade of green.

Our Fargesia robusta is known as the 'Campbell' type, which was the first introduction of this species into the Western world from Sichuan, China.  It  has slightly smaller leaves and a tighter clumping habit than the 'Pingwu' type, which is from a later collection and is used by Bamboo Select in creating their Green Screen™  variety. 
    F. robusta 'Wolong', collected in 1996, has larger leaves than both the 'Pingwu' and 'Campbell' types, and has a glossy sheen which highlights its fine qualities.
    Another intriguing specimen from a later collection is known in Europe as 'Red Sheaths'. It is reputed to have more brightly colored culm sheaths that remain on the plant for a longer time and provide contrast with the olive green canes. Unfortunately, we do not know of any currently available in the United States. F. sp. 'Scabrida' has similar qualities to F. robusta, but is even more colorful.
    With the vigor and height inherent to all types of Fargesia robusta, 'Campbell', 'Wolong', Pingwu', and 'Red Sheaths', are valuable plants for the landscape due to their versatility, and for collectors due to their fine colors and form.
  

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Photo copyright: Dain Sansome: 2005
Woody admires a Fargesia robusta at the Bamboo Garden.