I'm not sure you're going to have much success with it in your Zone because you're probably going to have culm death each winter, and I suspect that if the rhizome survives the plant still won't size up very well.

Actually I was going to order yellow bamboo, it's such a nice looking one. :) I have a small plant of the incense bamboo from the other year, so hope that takes off too! :) LOL, KT, you are funny, I knew what you meant. Our loser neighbors are so stupid, they are from the NORTH (PA, in other words) but they just don't 'get it', you are right. ;) Yeah, and they did it to make the one township guy mad, because he was black. Mom's trailer has a really tattered American flag that you can barely see in the middle of the picture. I need plants that EAT THEM, ha ha ha! The way the wind blows, that nasty smoke usually blows right past our house. I just hope that they get lung cancer before we do. Here is a picture of my bamboo, and a picture of son/dad and his ugly 'girlfriend' Mom Junior. At least I think she's a girl. Hard to tell. They are both jerks, believe me.

Anyone interested in a partial bamboo swap/trade in Seattle area? I live in Seattle and have been researching tall clumping or running bamboo. I have 16 large nursery pots (24 gallon) of mature Golden (at least 4 years old that have been split/repotted a year ago). I'm looking for something a bit more shade tolerant and preferably greener. I prefer green to yellow, black, or red, though I'm flexible. My bamboo needs (feel free to chime in if you have a species you think would work for this scenario): I'm trying to screen out a 3-story apartment building on the western border of our property. I am a little apprehensive about the use of aggressive runner bamboo in an urban area (even w/ rhizome barrier) but I've researched my options online and it seems the only very tall clumpers (which thrive here) are Borinda Boliana, or Chusquea Gigantea. The B. Boliana I've heard might not over-winter well and possible isn't upright enough to act as a screen. I'm concerned about using a timber bamboo like C. Gigantea since I'm not sure how manageable that size would be in our 5K sf lot. I'm looking for something w/ a very upright habit (maybe Semiarundinaria fastuosa viridis, green temple bamboo) and maximum screening capabilities that will reach a height of at least 25'. Any recommendation for good bamboo screens would be very much appreciated. FYI: this bamboo would only have direct sunlight in the morning as the western apartment building would block afternoon sun. The soil is on the rich, loose side, though I'm not sure of its acidity. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

It is a beautiful bamboo. I planted mine 3 years ago during the summer months and didn't have any problems. The others on the forum will probably know more about your planting situation. Mine is in the ground with a rhizome barrier. I still check it out to make sure it hasn't gone over. Enjoy your bamboo. I love mine.