RED DRAGON!  Unbelievable color changes through out the year.
click on photo to see larger image.
Photo © Noah Bell, Bamboo Garden, 2012

Photo © Noah Bell, Bamboo Garden, 2012
An older 'Jiuzhaigou' grown in the ground in a more shaded area will show darker red to purple canes. New shoots are pastel blue-green.  This is one of our favorite clumping bamboos.

Photo © Noah Bell, Bamboo Garden, 2012
New leaves unfurling on the Red Dragon. 

Fargesia sp. 'Jiuzhaigou' I
                  pronounced "JU-ZIE-GO"
Common name: "Red Dragon"

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 Fargesia, '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 Fargesia, will curl in the sun but when the shade returns they will unfurl. The leaves are very small; among the smallest of any Clumping Bamboo, 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.  The colors are especially intense when grown in a container.  Because this bamboo is so cold hardy, it makes a great container specimen.

'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
Next Picture  
Rare and Collectable Bamboo

Photo © Noah Bell, Bamboo Garden, 2012
Very colorful new canes in 2 gallon containers, at Bamboo Garden, main green house.

Photo copyright: Noah Bell, 2008 (click on picture to see larger image)

Photo copyright: Noah Bell, 2009


                 copyright Noah Bell 2006   

    
Photo copyright: Ned Jaquith, 2003
 
  copyright Ned Jaquith 2004