Both the black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra or Black Bamboo) and the black garden bamboo (Bambus fargesia nitida "Black Pearl") are hardy. In a mild winter with only a light frost, both types have no problem.
Black bamboo easily survives mild winters
However, if the temperatures drop below - 20 °C, the black garden bamboo has a better chance of surviving, because it tolerates frost down to - 25 °C, the black bamboo, depending on the variety, however, only - 16 °C or - 20 °C. In the first few years, young bamboo is generally not as frost hardy as older bamboo of the same variety. They need winter protection.
How do I take care of my black bamboo in winter?
No matter what kind of bamboo you have planted in your garden, it needs a certain amount of care even in winter to survive. It should be watered regularly even when it's cold, but only on frost-free days. The more sun it gets in winter, the more moisture evaporates through its leaves and the more water the bamboo needs.
You can also protect sensitive bamboo and your young plants from frost by putting a thick layer of leaves, straw or brushwood on the root ball. You can wrap the aerial parts of your bamboo with an old sack or special fleece. This also reduces evaporation and protects the bamboo from both freezing and dying of thirst.
If you have placed your bamboo in a planter, for example in a bucket, it is best to overwinter it in a cool room or in a cold house. So even very sensitive varieties are suitable for cultivation in Germany. However, the bamboo there does not grow as large as in the field.
The essentials in brief:
- Phyllostachys nigra hardy to - 16 °C or - 20 °C
- Black garden bamboo (Bambus fargesia nitida "Black Pearl") hardy to - 25 °C
- Protect young bamboo from frost
- water on frost-free days even in winter
- Do not hibernate bamboo in a tub outside
tips
Don't forget to water your black bamboo in winter too. At the latest when it rolls up the leaves, it urgently needs water.