Fargesia nitida

RHS Plant Profile

Chinese fountain bamboo

Other common names

fountain bamboo

Synonyms

Semiarundinaria nitida
Arundinaria nitida
Sinarundinaria nitida

Bamboos

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An evergreen bamboo forming a dense clump of upright to arching, purple-flushed green canes to 4m high, with slender, delicate, dark green leaves to 9cm in length

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 1-1.5 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: North–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Fargesia are compact, densely clump-forming evergreen bamboos with slender arching canes and several small branches at each node bearing copious narrow leaves
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: N China

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moisture retentive soil in partial or light dappled shade with shelter from cold, dry winds. Suited to container cultivation. See bamboo cultivation Some bamboos can become invasive – for more information, read our advice on bamboo control

Propagation

Propagate by division or take cuttings of sections of young rhizomes in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Low Maintenance
Hedging and screens

Pruning

Remove weak, dead, damaged or spindly stems in spring and thin to show off stems to best effect. Cut out any flowering shoots promptly to discourage more from forming - see bamboo cultivation

Pests

Slugs may damage new shoots

Diseases

Generally disease-free