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Photo copyright: Noah Bell, 2008 (click on picture to see larger image)
Photo copyright: Noah Bell, 2009
copyright Noah Bell 2006
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Fargesia sp. 'Jiuzhaigou'
I
pronounced "JU-ZIE-GO"
Height: 9 to 12 feet
Diameter: 0.75 inch
Hardiness: -20° F
USDA zone 5 through 9, not for climates with high heat and humidity
(southeastern states).
This new Fargesia,
formerly thought to be a form of nitida, is becoming known for the intense red color of the
new culms. They then age to a mellow yellow (remember Donavon's cool song?).
Unlike most other Fargesias, 'Jiuzhaigou' needs to be planted where it gets
enough direct sun (preferably morning sun) to turn the culms red. Care must be taken in warmer
climates or it will suffer from too much of the needed sun. The leaves,
like many Fargesias, will curl in the sun but when the shade returns they
will unfurl. The leaves are very small; smaller than most nitida clones, and
are reddish at first, fading to a light green. It is also a fairly upright
member the Fargesia genus, due the very small leaves not bearing much
weight on the tops of the culms. This bamboo was collected in Jiuzhaigou
Park in northern Sichuan, China by
a German pharmacist named
Stephan Wagner. It was brought back to Europe as a seedling in 1986, whereby
it was gradually propagated and eventually made its way to the United
States. Strikingly beautiful in the Spring and Fall. Leaves curl tightly
during extreme weather of summer and winter.
'Jiuzhaigou' II
is similar has slightly larger canes and leaves with a more "open" clump habit (more
space between each culm), but is not as brightly colored.
We have several more forms of Jiuzhaigou that will be available for sale in
the future:
Jiuzhaigou 'Genf' (taller, with bright red color)
Jiuzhaigou 4 (dark color, short, compact)
Jiuzhaigou 7 (qualities unknown)
Jiuzhaigou 10 (Yellowish culms, taller than type)
Comparing different
'Jiuzhaigou' forms
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