Two New Beautiful Noninvasive Bamboos

Writen by Alan Summers

Fargesia robusta 'Green Screen' and Fargesia rufa 'Green Panda'
Bamboo is known for being very decorative and beautiful in the garden, but many gardeners shy away from bamboo because of its reputation for being invasive. This week we are featuring two new clump forming bamboo plants that are non-invasive and perfect for any gardener who has always wanted to try to grow bamboo - 'Green Screen' and 'Green Panda.' Native to China, both bamboo species are favorite foods of the Giant Pandas. You are sure to enjoy either of these bamboos in your garden - they make excellent hedges, screens, specimen plantings or can be grown in containers. Either one will make a great vertical accent or specimen.

A Fast-Growing Screen
Fargesia robusta 'Green Screen' is a robust strong-growing, clumping bamboo that will reach fifteen to eighteen feet high with a culm diameter of one inch and a clump diameter of 12 feet. It is both fast-growing and sun tolerant, with arching stems that give Bamboo 'Green Screen' a very soft texture. New shoots develop in the spring, continually adding to the interest and texture of this bamboo. 'Green Screen' is very vigorous and hardy throughout Zone 6.

Ideal Bamboo for Smaller Spaces
Fargesia rufa 'Green Panda' is also a non-invasive clumping bamboo. It is smaller than 'Green Screen' reaching just six to eight feel tall. It forms a dense mound of stems and foliage that will expand by just a few inches each year, eventually maturing to eight feet in diameter. It is also very vigorous and is hardy to -15F (Zone 5).

Planting and Care

Rated as deer resistant.

Fertilize with Cottonseed Meal and Kelp Meal when planting in early spring and again in late fall.

Ideally, select a location with part shade, especially in the afternoon. Once established, both bamboos will tolerate full sun.

Both bamboos will do best when planted in a compost-rich, moisture retentive, but well-drained soil.

Click here to view Green Screen on the Carroll Gardens website.

Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America's preeminent nurseries, having introduced more than 20 new perennials and woody shrubs over the years and reintroduced numerous "lost" cultivars back to American gardeners.

Carroll Gardens publishes a weekly online newsletter written by Alan. It contains valuable gardening advice and tips and answers to customer questions. Click here to sign up for the Carroll Gardens weekly enewsletter.

Every Saturday, Alan hosts a call-in gardening forum on WCBM radio - 680 AM. For those outside of the WCBM listening area, they can listen to radio show via the internet.

Visit CarrollGardens.com to learn more.