Fargesia murielae
Garden bamboo
Common names: Umbrella bamboo, Curtain bamboo
At a glance
- Light
- Partial shade
- Pot size
- from 80 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Hardy
Photo: IKAl · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
Fargesia murielae, commonly known as garden bamboo, grows in dense, upright clumps without producing underground runners. Its slender, slightly arching culms and fine, evergreen foliage make it an excellent screen or focal point in a garden bed. The species is often simply referred to as garden bamboo in horticulture. Varieties such as 'Jumbo' are particularly compact and suitable for containers on terraces or balconies.
Care instructions
Garden bamboo prefers a semi‑shaded location; full sun with dry wind can cause thin, rolled leaves. The soil should be humus‑rich and consistently moist, but it does not tolerate waterlogging. Water regularly during the first year of establishment, especially on frost‑free winter days, as the evergreen leaves transpire even in cold temperatures. Pruning is rarely necessary; in spring (week 12 to 14) remove only dry or brown culms at ground level. In containers, wrap the roots in a winter fleece to protect against rapid freezing, as pots cool faster than in-ground beds.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, humus-rich, moist, nutrient-rich
Umbrella bamboo likes it loose and free-draining, yet evenly moist, because it tolerates waterlogging as little as drying out. A humus-rich, nutrient-rich soil with some loam holds moisture well and reliably supplies the fine roots. The pH may be slightly acidic to neutral; pH 5.5 to 7.0 suits it well. A mulch layer of leaves or bark humus additionally protects the root zone from drying out.
Feeding
Medium feeder
Months
Apr–Jul
From April to July, your bamboo welcomes regular applications of mature compost or horn shavings, which cover its nutrient needs during the main shooting period. A mulch layer of leaves or grass clippings releases additional nutrients as it rots and at the same time keeps moisture in the soil. From August on, you are better off skipping further feeding, so that the new culms become woody in time and hardy. A light application of compost in spring is usually quite enough for fully grown plants.
Overwintering
Fargesia murielae is quite hardy and survives frost well below minus 15 degrees without problems. In pots, you protect the roots with fleece or hessian around the pot, because the soil there freezes through faster than in a bed. Enough water is important even in winter on frost-free days, as the evergreen leaves keep using moisture via the roots. In severe, lasting frost with sun, the leaves may roll up; this is a normal protective reaction and no cause for concern.
Propagation
Methods
- Division
The most reliable method is division in spring shortly before new growth starts, best from mid-April to early May · weeks 16 to 18. You dig up a strong clump and separate with a sharp spade a piece with several culms and an intact root ball. You plant the piece immediately in moist, humus-rich soil and keep it evenly moist for the first weeks, until it has established well. In practice, umbrella bamboo is hardly ever grown from seed, as flowering is rare and raising it takes very long.
For your garden
Grow Garden bamboo yourself
Gartenkern tells you when frost is coming, when to sow and when to harvest, for your location.
Free, no time limit
Notes from real gardens
What other gardeners have written down about this variety, anonymous and voluntary.
No notes shared yet. Will you be the first to write one down?