I think it's worth a try. I live in your area and I just got one in a trade last fall, but it had been recently divided and I put it in my greenhouse over the winter rather than in the ground. I'm going to plant it out and see what happens. I looked at several web sites and I couldn't find a hardiness rating for it, although the other Thamnocalamus species have hardiness ratings in the range of 0 to 15 F. Typically, if you go below a bamboo's hardiness rating for more than a day or two, you can get death of the entire plant. And damage to above ground growth will occur well above that temperature. A lot of people grow bamboo in harsher winter climates than ours and get total topkill each year, but their bamboo will re-shoot...as long as they haven't exceeded the hardiness limits. Also, one other thing you should know about hardiness ratings: they are approximate.

I grow Borinda fungosa, which is also a mountain bamboo originating from some of the same areas in Asia as the T. crassinodus, and it has a hardiness rating of about 20F. The first 2 winters the aboveground growth got whacked pretty well, but last winter it did just fine. I got my division from a friend in W. Seattle who has a huge, lush clump of it and it never gets bothered by winter. But he is in a slightly different micro-climate.

As for the T. crassinodus, you'll only know if you try it. If you have a sheltered location next to the house it may be helpful. Please report back next year if you decide to try.

Thanks Kudsu9. I think I'll try although my area is probably considered 8a:-( Do you know if T. crassinodus 'Mendocino' is a better choice? It looks kind of pretty from a picture. I plan on growing one of these in a deep shade as I read somewhere that it does well in that kind of environment. I'll certainly let you know how it turns out next year. Thanks again.

15F is pretty tender. Most local areas get below that during colder winters. Usually to have Californian minimums gardens here have to be on the most favorable sites at or near the beach.

Bamboo Society lists a couple clones hardy to 5F.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bamboo Species List

winsorw-
Well, the Mendocino is a pretty one and it has a hardiness rating of about 10F. Despite the name, bambooweb.info says that it "was said to be collected from along a trail by a trekker to Mt. Everest in 1990's." If it can survive in that climate, maybe you will have good success with it.

Thanks Kudzu9, hmmm...pretty? maybe it won't hurt to try another one:-) If it survives, I won't mind sharing.

There would be several climate zones crossed on the way to Everest. Photos of mountain villages with subtropicals like poinsettias and edible banana plants, with a towering snowcap peak looming behind are not exceptional. In the Sino-Himalayan region altitude is everything in regard to hardiness, with those hardy to even as mild as USDA 8 often having to have come from above something like 10,000' or more, with plants from below that turning out to be tender.

bboy-
I didn't assume that it was all ice and snow there, but I didn't know it was so incredibly diverse. Thanks for the info.

It’s been almost 9 years. Hopefully all of you do great with T. Crassinodus bamboo. My area 15 miles north of Seattle and just bought T Crassinodus today 4-23-19

Hopefully hear some report from all you again please, Thank you so much.

I am so happy with your report K . Thank you so much for information. Do you like the shape of the bamboo? Is that the tight clump bamboo growing ? How tall and how fast it grows. Do you happy with it . I tried to load my bamboo picture here but it didn’t work out for uploading. Thank you so much again. Vincent.