Red bamboo stems

Fargesia Jiuzhaigou ‘Red Bamboo’

Thanks to its show-stopping red culms, Fargesia jiuzhaigou is better known by its common names, Red Bamboo Plant or Red Dragon Bamboo. Red Bamboo is not only strong, durable and cold hardy, but it’s also elegant and ornamental, making it a great addition to any bamboo garden.

Quick Facts

  • Common name: Red Dragon
  • Botanical Name: Fargesia Jiuzhaigou (pronounced: ju-zie-go)
  • Type: Clumping
  • Average height: 9-12 ft (2.7-3.7 m)
  • Average diameter: 1 inch (2.5 cm)
  • Hardiness: -20°F (-30°C)
  • USDA Zones: 5-9
  • UK Hardiness Zones: H7-H3
  • Light requirements: Prefers mostly sunny environments, but not intense sunlight
  • Best use: Privacy screen, ornamental
USDA Zones 5-9 highlighted on a map
USDA Zones 5-9

This enchanting and colorful bamboo variety was discovered in Jiuzhaigou Park, located in northern Sichuan, China. Its collector, German pharmacist Stephan Wagner, brought the seedlings back to Europe in 1986. It was then propagated and eventually made its way to the United States.

Red Bamboo is a popular choice for privacy screening, tall hedges, or ornamental gardening. Its upright, light structure makes for a tranquil appearance.

Fargesia Jiuzhaigou has several cultivars with slight variations in their color or size, including:

  • Jiuzhaigou II
  • Jiuzhaigou Genf
  • ‍‍Jiuzhaigou 4
  • Jiuzhaigou 9
  • ‍‍Jiuzhaigou 10

In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about caring for this delicate bamboo species, which is easier than you might expect!

What does Fargesia jiuzhaigou look like?

As its name suggests, Red Bamboo was nicknamed for its vibrant red culms. New stems emerge green but change to a reddish-purple color over time. As the culms age, they eventually lighten into a pale orange color.

Culms of Fargesia Jiuzhaigou ‘Red Bamboo'
[Source: BambooWeb]

Depending on the temperature and light exposure, the red color can intensify more during the fall and spring. More sunlight exposure will turn the culms a deeper red, but too much sun can cause the leaves to curl.

Like other Fargesia bamboo species, Red Bamboo has thin, wispy leaves that are delicate in appearance. The small leaves don’t weigh down the culms, giving Red Bamboo its upright appearance. Red Bamboo can flower, but it’s not expected to do so for a long time.

Fargesia jiuzhaigou is quite hardy. However, it can shed a third of its beautiful foliage in the winter. This means that strong winds can pose a problem, so aim to plant your Red Bamboo in a well-protected location.

What are the best growing conditions for Fargesia jiuzhaigou?

Don’t let the beautiful and delicate foliage of Red Bamboo intimidate you! Keeping this fast-growing red beauty as a privacy screen or as an ornamental feature in your garden landscape is easier than you might expect. Once you establish a great location that will give it the light and temperature requirements it needs, it will grow to its full potential in no time.

Leaves of Fargesia Jiuzhaigou ‘Red Bamboo’ with the text Best Growing Conditions for Fargesia Jiuzhaigou ‘Red Bamboo’.

Light requirements

Fargesia Jiuzhaigou thrives in dappled shade environments. Depending on how hot and humid your climate gets, this type of bamboo can also tolerate full-sun conditions.

Ideally, it should receive plenty of morning sun and be protected from the harsh afternoon heat. If your Red Bamboo is getting too much sunlight, you’ll notice that the leaves can start to curl to protect themselves. If this happens, try not to panic, as they’ll unfurl again in the shade.

Temperature requirements

Red Bamboo is cold tolerant to -25°F (or -31°C). However, if your bamboo is young, you’ll want to protect it with horticultural fleece for its first two winters. You may also notice some leaf loss in juvenile plants during the winter, but as it matures your plant will be able to better tolerate the cold.

If your temperature gets hot during the summer, you can mulch around the bamboo to prevent the soil from drying out too quickly. Fargesia jiuzhaigou isn’t tolerant of intense heat and high humidity, so it’s not suitable for climates that experience scorching summer heat, including many southern regions in the United States.

Soil requirements

Red Bamboo will grow best in a rich, well-draining soil. It’s not particularly invasive, therefore rhizome barriers are not necessary. However, because of its hardiness, you can easily grow Red Bamboo in containers.

A person examining a rich, well-draining soil compatible for Red Bamboo.

While Red Bamboo isn’t particular about soil pH, it’ll grow much better in rich, high-quality soil. You can amend your soil with garden compost or a slow-release fertilizer in order to encourage the development of healthy roots and ample foliage.

When fertilizing your Red Bamboo, an application of spring fertilizer combined with another application of autumn fertilizer in early fall will help it weather cold winters.

Watering

Water your red bamboo plant when the top two inches of the soil becomes dry. Remember that depending on temperature, your shade-dwelling red bamboo may not dry out as quickly, so avoid root rot by checking the soil before watering. Fargesia jiuzhaigou is intolerant of standing water, so having well-draining soil is paramount to preventing overwatering and rot.

On the other hand, if your soil is drying out too quickly, particularly in the summer, you’ll notice that a large part of your beautiful bamboo foliage will begin to drop. Ensuring juvenile red bamboo is watered efficiently is key to giving it the best start possible. You can also add a layer of mulch to prevent the soil from drying out too quickly.

How to care for Fargesia jiuzhaigou

If you’ve been thinking about adding Red Bamboo to your garden, you’ll be happy to know that it’s quite easy to care for. As long as you can master your Red Bamboo’s nuanced watering requirements, it’s a rewarding bamboo to grow since it requires very little maintenance and rarely encounters problems.

Pruning

Pruning isn’t necessary for healthy growth because your red bamboo plant is a fast grower on its own. However, you can prune your plant up to twice annually if desired. If you choose to prune your Red Bamboo, the best time to give it a trim is in May or June.

Common problems and pests

If you can master your bamboo’s watering technique, you’re likely in the clear for most diseases or problems. Luckily Red Bamboo is overall very pest resistant; it’s not particularly prone to aphids, slugs, or even larger pests like rabbits and deer.

Occasionally, you may find spider mites or white flies on your Fargesia jiuzhaigou, and in Germany, cicadas have become increasingly problematic. However, that’s much less prevalent in North America. Fargesia jiuzhaigou also is remarkably resistant to most fungal or viral diseases.

Gardening tools and materials use to care and maintain Fargesia Jiuzhaigou ‘Red Bamboo’.

If you spot a pest on your Red Bamboo, do your best to remove any visible adults by spraying the foliage with water and then treating it with either an insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil. It’s best to spray in the evening and first test the product on a small area of the plant.

Ultimately, pests are most drawn to struggling plants, so growing healthy, strong bamboo is your best defense against pests and other diseases.

Uses for Fargesia jiuzhaigou

Fargesia jiuzhaigou is excellent for tall privacy hedges and ornamental gardens. It’s a fast grower, so you can have a tall privacy hedge very quickly. So much so that if you’re looking for a shorter privacy hedge, this bamboo might not be the best choice.

Additionally, garden lovers will thoroughly enjoy this peaceful-looking plant. It’s often combined with other ornamental garden features like water fountains to create a true feeling of zen and relaxation. You’ll love the calming sound of its refined and delicate leaves rustling in the breeze!

Where to buy Red Bamboo

If you’re convinced that this bamboo species is a great choice for your home, you can buy Red Bamboo at your local nursery. Sometimes this may not be available to you so online shops can come to the rescue. 

Have you grown Red Bamboo in your garden? What issues have you encountered, and how did you deal with them? Let us know!
Woman (Natalie) and man (James) in front of bamboo
About the Author: Natalie Schneider

20 Comments

  • Where do we buy rare bmboo species for the PHILS. Red and violet bamboo

    Reply
    • Hi, I assume you mean the Philippines. I am sorry, but I am focusing on the US on my website. So, I cannot give you an answer to your question.

      Reply
  • Hi
    Is it ok to plant in a large container and ‘not’ drill holes for drainage as I know Bamboos are extremely water hungry.
    Cheers

    Reply
    • Thanks for your question, Chris. I would always drill holes because bamboo doesn’t like to grow in swampy conditions (except for some species, red dragon isn’t one of them). It will just lead to an unhealthy, maybe even dying, plant if it’s in a waterlogged container all the time.

      Reply
      • Hi, Mandy! I am not sure how long it stays red at your location/growing conditions. It’s happening when the culm reaches the maximum height (or close to it). So, you’ll end up having a mix of red and light green culms by the time the plant is mature (3-5 years). Visit local nurseries or find an online dealer.

        Reply
  • Hi! How many stalks should I plant in a 2-1/2’ x 1’ planter?
    And will it take years for it to grow to make a screen?
    I live in California.
    Thank you!
    Gigs

    Reply
    • It’s really your own preference. You can set the clumps closer to each other or further away. They, however, only grow a few inches outward every year. So, I’d recommend spreading them out rather densely. When you buy a plant, you’ll get a bundle of culms that you can divide carefully. If I want a screen faster, I’d buy 2-3 plants for 2.5 ft. It will still take around 3 years until the plant is established fully. You’ll still have a screen according to how dense you plant the culms but it won’t reach its max height within the first 2-3 years.

      Reply
      • Thank you, Natalie.
        I am now thinking that I got short-changed and received a different bamboo plant. I ordered a Red Dragon, but the leaves are not feathery and the bamboo is green in color. When they grow out of the ground, is the color of the Red Dragon bamboo already red?
        Thank you, again.

        Reply
        • Hi Gigs, new shoots come out green but then the culms turn red. With age they tend to turn yellow-ish brown. So, it still COULD be that you have Fargesia Jiuzhaigou. The plants need sun for getting the red color. I hope I could help a bit!

          Reply
          • Thanks again. Natalie. I’ll be patient as it is a new plant and is about 2 – 2.5 feet tall. The stalks are thinner than pencils. I really hope my patience will pay off.
            If you feel that at that height It’s at already, some of the stalks should have already turned reddish in color, please let me know.
            Thank you!

          • I am not sure. You know what, your best bet is sending a photo to the store you bought it from and ask them. I would assume that there should be some red culms in there if you have 2-2.5 ft tall plants unless you haven’t gotten any sun. Also, keep in mind, that you are probably only halfway to your max. height (container height is around 4 or 5ft give or take).

  • Hi. I live in Denver CO and this is the second year of my red dragon. It seems to have wintered over well (in a container) and the stalks have some red. However, there are also many of last year’s leaves left on the stalks but dried and brown. I have a few new green leaves starting to sprout. How can I encourage new growth and what about the old leaves? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hi Francine, the dry leaves will fall off eventually. I am not sure how long it has been warm at your location but usually the new shoots and leaves emerge now (spring). So, maybe wait a bit. You can also add a little bit of (organic) fertilizer if you want to encourage the growth even further.

      Reply

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