Fountain Bamboo Fargesia Rufa

This dwarf bamboo is a beautiful, compact variety that?s incredibly well behaved. It produces masses of slender, gently arching shoots that have a rusty tinge and tiny, thin leaves as it forms a dense clump, giving it its common name of ?Fountain Bamboo?.

Top Tips

Best planted in spring so that the food reserves in the rhizome are used to produce a good flush of fresh canes in summer.

Care Guide

Planting Advice for Fargesia Bamboo:

• Although bamboos are suitable for planting all year round, they’re best planted in spring.
• Fargesia prefers light to moderate shade so needs to be planted out of the glaring sun.
• Not fussy about soil, plants grow best in a well-drained soil in a sheltered spot. If you have a heavy clay soil, it’s best to incorporate gravel or grit when planting to improve drainage.
• Bamboos can be restricted when planting either by incorporating a barrier or by growing in a large pot.
• Before planting, dig over the ground and add well-rotted manure or garden compost.
• Dig a planting hole so that the rootball sits slightly lower, with 2-3cm (1in) of soil covering the original surface
  Backfill the hole, taking care not to damage the young rhizomes, then water and mulch.
• Water regularly and ensure that bamboo plants in containers do not dry out even in winter as the foliage is prone to wind scorch.
• Give a high nitrogen feed in spring and apply a balanced fertiliser through the rest of the growing season until late August.
• New bamboo plants can be contained within a physical barrier to prevent them spreading through beds and borders.

 

Aftercare Advice for Bamboo:

• Keep plants well-watered during the growing season but don’t allow them to stand in water if it’s cold.
• Smaller bamboos are ideal grown in a container at least 45cm (18in) across.
• In very cold weather, insulate containers with bubble wrap or move them to frost-free conditions.

 

Pruning Advice for Fargesia:

• Divide the bamboo every couple of years.
• In spring, remove any weak, dead, damaged or spindly canes, cutting them to ground level with secateurs or loppers, at the same time remove any debris at the base of clumps.