Is bamboo hardy? Information for hedges, potted plants & Co

Asian garden concepts are increasingly finding their way into Germany. Just the one bamboo with its numerous species is a popular plant that is immediately reminiscent of the bamboo forests in Japan, pandas in China or the Buddhist garden. Since the local climate can be quite harsh, gardeners ask themselves whether it is worth growing bamboo at all. Here the question arises: is bamboo hardy and if so, which species are suitable for it.

Hardiness

Is bamboo hardy?

The plant family of Bamboos (bot. Bambusoideae) comprises about 116 genera that occur all over the world except for Europe and Antarctica. The genera are divided into around 1,439 species. Because of this biodiversity, it is difficult to make a statement about the winter hardiness of the family. However, there are numerous species that can easily withstand temperatures down to -28 ° C, to which the question can be answered with a yes. But only if a suitable species has been selected. The following species have proven to be suitable for German winters and are definitely recommended for your garden.

Bamboo species

Fargesia

Fargesia species are extremely popular in Germany and are perfect for local gardens due to their vigor and winter hardiness. Especially the Muriel bamboo (bot. Fargesia murielae) is recommended here, but you can easily choose one of the varieties. Depending on the variety, the stature height varies between 1.5 and 6 m and these types of bamboo stand closely together with their stalks. They do not form runners, which makes a rhizome barrier unnecessary.

Phyllostachys

The second genus that lends itself to winter is Phyllostachys. Depending on the type and variety, these can reach heights of up to ten meters. Is particularly interesting Phyllostachys bissetii, the Bisset bamboowho has excellent winter hardiness. They form runners and therefore need a rhizome barrier.

These two genera survive every winter, but you should check the specified winter hardiness before buying a variety. The winter hardiness varies from -20 ° C to -28 ° C, which makes a big difference. Other types of bamboo that are suitable for winter but not so common are the following.

• Sasa and Hibanobambusa: only a few species
• Pleioblastus: only down to -20 °

Tip: Most of the bamboo species that are offered in Germany are hardy, as they would otherwise die at the slightest sign of frost. These are woody species that come exclusively from the cool regions of China and Japan and for this reason can survive the winter in Central Europe.

Hedge plants

Winter hardiness in hedges and solitary plants

The winter hardiness of the above species can be strongly influenced by environmental factors. Even if bamboos are resilient, the following climatic factors can affect the plant in winter.

• dry winds from the east
• Length of winter
• Soil conditions
• Amount of sunlight or direct sunlight for a long period of time without protection

Bamboos have the problem that they quickly dry out due to the points mentioned above and then die. The so-called Drought stress can kill individual parts of the plant or the plant itself. This is mainly due to unprotected locations that are exposed to strong, drying easterly winds in combination with too much sunlight. Too much direct sunlight causes excessive evaporation of the plant sap, which has a negative effect on winter hardiness. This applies to all of your bamboo species in the garden and should not be overlooked.

Proper winter care is particularly helpful here and includes the following methods:

• Before coming frost periods should be watered
• Except for wet snow, snow should be left as a natural protective and insulating layer
• the plant should be in a sheltered location
• they should be shaded, for example by a fleece; particularly effective for hedges
• a leaf cover is good for hedges to retain moisture

Note that these measures are particularly necessary in the first 2-3 years of the plant's life. Bamboos take a long time to get used to a location. After that, however, they no longer need any protection at all and are completely protected against the winter and no longer suffer even from harsh winters or drought stress.

Potted plants

Winter hardiness at Potted plants

However, keeping bamboos in pots has proven to be problematic, as this poses a risk to the Drought stress is much higher. The reasons for this are the rapid loss of moisture and the possible freezing of the substrate in the bucket, which has a negative effect on the vitality of the Bambusoideae. Even with adult specimens, special winter protection must be used in order to fully protect the winter hardiness of the plant to take advantage of, as these cannot spread with their roots as far in the earth as their relatives in the Garden.

The following solutions are available for this problem:

• Wrap the bucket with insulation made of styrofoam, bubble wrap or a coconut mat
• Plant the bucket directly in the ground and dig up again after winter
• slightly sunny location on a house wall that does not face east

Otherwise, regular watering must not be forgotten, as this prevents possible drought stress.