How big does Fountain bamboo grow?

About 3 m × 1.5 m after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 2.5–4.5 m × 1–1.5 m.

What soil does Fountain bamboo grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, clay.

Is Fountain bamboo hardy?

Hardy down to -29 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far apart should Fountain bamboo be planted?

Planted on its own, it needs 1 m between plants. For a hedge, allow 1.5 plants per metre.

How much water does Fountain bamboo need?

Water need: high. Drought tolerance: low.

Fountain bamboo

Fargesia nitida

Fountain bamboo (Fargesia nitida) is an ornamental grass that reaches 3 m × 1.5 m after ten years. Light: part shade, shade. Hardy down to -29 °C. Drought tolerance: low.

Illustration of Fountain bamboo — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A clump-forming bamboo: unlike running bamboos it does not send out far-reaching rhizomes, the clump only thickens slowly, so you can plant it without a root barrier. Its thin purplish canes and small dense leaves arch out like a fountain, and it works well as an evergreen screen, a loose hedge or in a large pot. It belongs in part shade, sheltered from wind and in soil that never dries out: in hot afternoon sun, drought and cold wind the leaves roll up. Be aware that it flowers very rarely, after many decades, and the clump usually dies afterwards.

Watch out for

In the hot, dry summers of Central Europe the leaves scorch and roll in direct sun, so it will not look good without shade and regular watering; in winter cold dry wind browns the foliage and in a hard winter it may drop part of its leaves. The old stock of this species grown across Europe flowered en masse and died in the 1990s and 2000s; plants sold today come from the new seedling generation and are not expected to flower for many decades. Root rot can occur in waterlogged soil.

Key facts

Light: Part shade, Shade
Water need: High
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 3 m × 1.5 m
Hardiness: down to -29 °C
Foliage: Evergreen

All details

Group	Ornamental grass
Light	Part shade, Shade
Size after 10 years	3 m × 1.5 m
Ultimate size	2.5–4.5 m × 1–1.5 m
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	no data
Water need	High
Drought tolerance	Low
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no data
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	100 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	no data
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 26, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Plants for shade Hedge plants Evergreen hedge plants Plants for screening Evergreen plants Ornamental grasses

Guide on the topic

Fast-growing hedges: how much each grows in a year The fastest hedge plant is the Leyland cypress, growing about 90 cm a year, followed by cherry laurel 'Novita', firethorn and western red cedar at about 50 cm a year, then privet at 40 cm. How long a 180 cm hedge takes to screen depends more on the size of plant you buy: several years from small plants, one or two summers from large ones, but at many times the price per metre. The tables use the current shop prices in your country.

Planting a hedge: how many plants per metre, and what it costs Most hedge plants go in at 2-4 plants per metre: Leyland cypress 2, cherry laurel and photinia 2.5 (40 cm apart), yew 3, hornbeam 3.5, privet and beech 4. The plants go in one row, 80 cm from the fence, in autumn or early spring. What the hedge costs depends most on the size of the plants: the table works it out at today's shop prices in your country, for the length of your own hedge.

Looks good next to it

Hosta

Hosta × hybrida

Sawara cypress

Chamaecyparis pisifera

Western red cedar

Thuja plicata