

Needmore Bamboo Co.

Climate Zone 6 Bamboo

Bamboo in Indiana? - This is a question that I often hear and the answer is a qualified 'Yes' - qualified by an understanding of reasonable performance expectations that zone 6 gardeners must have. In climate zone 6 - those areas of the United States where winter low temperatures fall to -23C (-10F) in an average year, we can reasonably expect to grow species of bamboo that will mature in the range of 8-10 meters by 5 cm in diameter (25 to 30 feet by 2 inches). In addition to providing us with a functional privacy screen and a beautiful garden ornamental, we can grow bamboo that will provide us with garden stakes, fence material, flutes, and a nice supply of materials for arts & craft purposes.
The actual performance of a given species of bamboo is impacted not only by extreme cold but also by environmental factors such as length of the growing season, annual precipitation levels, summer temperature & humidity levels, differences between daytime highs & nighttime lows, wind conditions, and the cultural habits employed by the gardener. My nursery - the Needmore Bamboo Co. is located in Southern Indiana near Needmore in Brown County and I currently have 140+ species of bamboo in-ground. The nursery is considered to be on the edge of USDA climate zones 5b & 6. Winters generally see temperatures in the range of -20C to -25C (-4F to -13F) ; summers 30C to 35C (85F to 95F) with high humidity; 100 to 115 cm (40 to 45 inches) of annual precipitation. Our frost free period is generally late April through mid-October; I liberally apply manure throughout the growing season and also apply a commercial 12-12-12 granular fertilizer in early March and again in early June. I always provide supplemental watering to new plantings and also to established groves during periods of extreme drought. Please check out my Hardiness Ratings page for specific information about each species that I grow.
   The information that I am providing is based an ongoing collection of data from my own gardens; from discussions with other experienced zone 6 gardeners; and the result of a great deal of time spent researching bamboo data in various printed resources. With each passing year I will update this website as appropriate and I have no doubt that with the increased maturation of my groves, the performance data will also change. Therefore, I am confident that some of the information herein will prove to have been incorrect!
     As an additional informational resource, I can recommend a web site Bamboo Web . This website has the largest database of bamboo photographs on the internet and it also hosts the species/source list of the American Bamboo Society . The species list contains descriptions of hundreds of different species of bamboo along with estimates of culm height & diameter of mature plantings for each species. There is also a nice bamboo discussion forum and in the future there will be a performance database that will include information provided by growers throughout the country.
   In addition to my performance research, I also operate a small nursery with multiple species of bamboo plants that are suitable for zone 6. At times, I may also offer rarer collector species, so do not hesitate to contact me to inquire about a species that you may desire. If I am unable to provide you with the appropriate species I am always happy to assist customers in sourcing plants from other reliable suppliers. Please navigate to the 'Contact Us' link for more information.

***  All photos on this website were taken at the Needmore Bamboo Co.
***  Common courtesy suggests photo credits be provided if reused

5-year old grove of Phyllostachys aureosulcata
22 feet by 1.25 inch diameter culms

   Bamboo Photos - Click on the genus names to navigate to the photographs.
   Arundinaria,    Bashania,     Brachystachyum, Hibanobambusa,  Indocalamus,    Phyllostachys
Pseudosasa, Sarocalamus,  Sasa,    Sasaella,    Sasamorpha, Shibataea,    2008 Bamboo in Snow

Winter Damage - Winter 2008 This page describes the impact of severe cold on bamboo and offers winter protection techniques.

Growth Habits - This page provides a glossary of bamboo terms and describes bamboo growth habits.

Bamboo Propagation- Different ways to produce more plants including bare rhizome propagating, digging new divisions, and growing from seed.

Hardiness Ratings - This page provides my estimates of hardiness of each species that I grow.

Bamboo For Privacy Screens - Planning your bamboo privacy screen in zone 6.

Controlling Spread - This page describes different bamboo containment methods.

Bamboo TLC - This page contains bamboo care suggestions including soil, watering, feeding and general care tips.

Contact Us! - This link will provide you with our contact information for pricing, availability and for scheduling appointments to visit the nursery.