I know one that'll make it just fine there in Chicago, but it's a little invasive, that's yellow groove. I'm zone 5 too and have a pretty large grove about 40' x 12'

What is the specific name for the yellow grove bamboo?

Hi Sandy,

I don't like an invasive type. I was doing some research and found fargesias. Can fargesias really endure z5 winters?

I would like to have bamboo clump instead.

Thanks,

Neil

Greetings all. I'm in the high desert west at about 4800 ft elevation. Our summers are hotter than...well, they run in the high 90's and we get freezing weather and snow for about six months.

Like Neil, I'm hoping to learn about bamboo that can withstand these kind of climate extremes. Thanks!

Hi everyone. I live in NE Iowa. I have successfully raised Phylostachis (sp) Nuda and Fargesia here for several years. Most winters, the tops winter kill and then they come back from the buds under ground. Each year the Nuda gets larger. My biggest so far is 3/4" dia. and around 10' tall. The fargesia has made it to about 5' tall.

I have seen a very nice large clump of Golden Groove (Yellow Grove?) Growing at the University of Minnesota Botanical garden in the Oriental Garden out side and seems to make it year to year. It has been several years since I last saw it and they may have had to replant or replace, don't know. That is in Minneapolis in the Chanhassen area.

My theory was, hey what the heck, buy some and try it.

I would recommend planting on the southern side of a large structure and giving the canes lots of mulch in the fall. I had mine planted down in a lower entry walk way to a basement protected on W, N, and E side with full sun in the winter from the S. Also, the snow tended to drift down into this area and normally the boo would be burried in a drift 6-10' deep most of the winter.

Give it a shot.

Sorry, I can't help you on other kinds of bamboo since I only have the one kind.

I would worry less about escaping bamboo, because it will likey just be a challenge to get it to survive. I had good luck(came back from rhimozomes) in zone 4 with a clone of the native Arundinaria gigantea, also Pleioblastus viridistriatiaus did great. I tried P.bissetti, P.nuda, P.rubromarginata, P.yellow groove, a few Sasa's, some other Pleiblastus species, Fargesia nitidia, F.nitidia nymphenburg, F.murelli, and a few others I forget, but almost all did not return.

One of the cold hardy phyllostachys species will be the best thing that fits your needs. fargesia genus tends to not have enough bounce back vigor, therefore, it'll take much longer for it to become taller.

Paul- I would love to buy some of your bamboo. I live in Wheaton. Email me. magbragassi@hotmail.com

You're responding to an 8 year old post....

lol

Just bumping up this thread. Anyone one else willing to share their experience over the last 12 years with bamboo in Chicago. It seesm runners are one of the best option but from what I could read, the non spreading in zone 5 seems to be a myth (the culms die down but the rhizomes stick around just fine), that led me to raised planter for easy monitoring and root pruning. But apparently that is likely to create issues with survival of the plant?

Thanks!

Hiela-

In an area where a hardy bamboo is on the edge of survival temperature-wise, you improve the odds by having the plant in the ground where the root ball is a bit better protected than when it is sitting in a pot or planter aboveground and more exposed.

I just ordered from BambooGarden.com three Fargesia Nitida, one Fargesia Murilae, and one Fargesia Denudata. All but the last one are supposed to be cold hardy for Chicago (Im in north suburbs). I ordered their number 10 size, which are about 7 to 10 feet tall and were shipped by freight on a pallet.

The school adjacent to our property was recently renovated and another story was added. My goal was to plant clumping bamboo that would help block out the increased size of the building. I planted these in early May 2021. Hopefully they fill out more by next year.

Here is one of the Nitida:

The Murilae:

and by far my favorite is the Denudata, which has a pendulous sway: