Not as hardy as some Fargesias, this bamboo from Nepal is one of our best clumpers for milder climates. It does, however, seem hardier than most Borindas. It is hardy for the Pacific Northwest, provided that it is somewhat protected. Even here in the Pacific Northwest it is almost essential to provide some shade in the afternoon. 'Merlin' is one of the tallest of the crassinodus clones, possibly growing 25 ft tall. It has smaller and more slender leaves than most other Thamnocalamus, which gives it a slightly more delicate appearance. Still very rare. The first picture was taken in England as a slide, and due to the lighting conditions needed some enhancement. The culms are not as dark as they appear in this picture; the new shoots are light pastel blue. For a good close-up of canes see Thamnocalamus crassinodus.
