Dragon’s Head Bamboo

Fargesia dracocephala ‘Rufa’

Plant Details

USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 6a-9b Find Your Zone

Type: Clumping

Height: 6-10′

Spread: 6-10′

Culm Diameter: 1/2″

Sun: USDA Zone 6: Full Sun or Part Shade | USDA Zones 7-9: Shade to Part Shade

Soil: Average, moist but well-drained

Growth Rate: Faster with more sun, slower in shade

Description

Dragon’s Head Bamboo, or Rufa Bamboo, is one of the most cold hardy of all evergreen clumping bamboo. This one doesn’t run at all but, similar to pampas grass and other large ornamental grasses, forms a clump that will increase in size over the years, similar to pampas or other large growing ornamental grasses. Dragon’s Head Bamboo forms dense mounds of arching canes with willowy foliage that is a very graceful specimen in the landscape. It is also useful in groupings or as a mid-size hedge that grows to 10 feet tall and wide over time. The plants in our gardens have grown to about 5 feet tall in as many years. That said, we have it growing in a lot of shade where it receives no direct sunlight. With more sun we hear it quickly shoots up to about 10 feet in height. That said, in hot climates from Zone 7a southward this bamboo prefers some shade or filtered sun during the hot afternoon hours.

Landscape & Other Uses

Containers/Pots: Excellent

Crafts: Good

Edible: Too small

Hedge: Excellent

Indoor: Good – PLEASE SEE: How To Grow Bamboo Plants Indoors

Ornamental: Excellent

Privacy Screen: Good

Wood Quality: NA

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6a, where this Bamboo variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Dragon’s Head Bamboo grows well in most any average garden soil and full sun to part shade in USDA Zone 6 and shade or part shade in Zones 7-9, where it prefers some afternoon shade or heavily filtered sun. Quite drought tolerant but prefers an occasional deep soaking during prolonged periods of dry summer weather.

How To Grow Bamboo Plants Indoors

Dragon’s Head bamboo is a clumping bamboo that does not require any control to contain it. That said, it grows up to 10 feet wide. If you want to contain it to a smaller area this can be done. Bamboo can be controlled in a small area simply by mowing or stepping on the young shoots. Bamboo only puts up new shoots for a short time each year and, when they are “shooting,” the new plants are very fragile and easy to destroy. Root pruning or installing Bamboo Root Barrier are other methods to control spread.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Bamboo plants.

How To Grow Bamboo Plants Indoors

How To Plant Bamboo Plants In The Ground

How To Plant Bamboo Plants In Containers & Pots

How To Fertilize And Water Bamboo Plants

How To Prune Bamboo Plants

How To Stop The Spread Of Bamboo Plants

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Plant arrived in great shape due to excellent packing by the nursery. I let it acclimate for a few days on the patio before replanting into a larger pot. Within a week there was new growth.
Very happy with this purchase. It looks great on the patio.———————————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Just wanted to say that the bamboo plants arrived today and were absolutely perfect. Packaged perfectly, exactly the size that I expected (maybe even a little bigger), and such a quick delivery. They will be perfect for the location that I wanted in my yard. And your website was the only one that I found that gave such great descriptions and filters that I was able to get what I hope to be the perfect fit. Just wanted to pass this along, and thank you for this.———————————————————————-Wow! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Great experience working with The Team! Helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and fast.
Healthy plants arrived as promised and were easy to unpack.
Already looking forward to next spring…—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Plant came in good shape . Transplanted into larger pot and now are seeing new growth .I would order from you anytime .————————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I got my bamboo within two weeks of placing the order. It was wonderfully packed and healthy. I planted it in two days and it looks happy!———————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG