Good news for my fellow bamboo lovers: Black Bamboo (*Phyllostachys nigra*) and Black Fountain Bamboo (*Fargesia nitida*) are actually quite hardy! If you live somewhere with mild winters and only light frosts, both varieties can stay outdoors year-round without much fuss. However, you’ll need to tweak your care routine a bit to make sure they come out of dormancy looking lush and healthy.
Black Bamboo Can Handle Mild Winters
If you live in a particularly chilly region, you’ll want to be a bit more careful. Standard Black Bamboo usually taps out once temperatures drop below -4 °F (-20 °C). If your winters get colder than that, I’d recommend going with Black Fountain Bamboo instead—it’s a champ and can handle dips down to -13 °F (-25 °C).
Keep in mind that “baby” plants aren’t as tough as the grown-ups. During those first few years, young bamboo needs a little extra insulation to help it survive the deep freeze.
How to Care for Your Black Bamboo in Winter
Even when it’s cold out, your bamboo still needs a little TLC to stay healthy. Here’s my go-to checklist for winter maintenance:
- Keep Up with Watering
Believe it or not, bamboo can actually get “thirsty” in the winter. You should still water it occasionally, but only on days when the ground isn’t frozen. If your bamboo is in a sunny spot or if the winter is unusually mild, it’ll lose a lot of moisture through its leaves. If you see the leaves starting to curl up, that’s your plant’s way of screaming for a drink!
- Protect Sensitive Plants
If you have a young plant or one that’s been struggling, don’t leave it out in the cold unprotected. I like to spread a thick layer of mulch, dry leaves, or brush over the root ball to keep it cozy.
For the canes (culms), you can gently wrap them in garden fleece or burlap. This helps prevent “winter burn” from moisture loss and keeps the plant from freezing through.
- Overwintering Potted Bamboo
If you’re growing your Black Bamboo in containers, your best bet is to move it indoors. An unheated greenhouse or a “cold house” is perfect. If you don’t have one, a cool, bright room in the house will work in a pinch. This is actually a great trick if you want to grow more exotic, sensitive varieties that wouldn’t normally survive your local climate. Just a heads-up: bamboo in a pot won’t grow nearly as big or bushy as it would if it were planted directly in the ground!
