Fargesia robusta Formidable

The Fargesia robusta Formidable is a non-invasive bamboo that is very versatile and easy to grow, widely used in parks and gardens to create evergreen screens or windbreak hedges. This robust variety is nonetheless majestic with its upright habit, its top bending under the weight of the leaves. The green stems punctuated with white sheaths tend to turn red as they age, creating a pleasant colour contrast with the beautiful green leaves. This plant is perfectly resistant to cold, it thrives in both full sun and partial shade, and can be easily cultivated in ordinary, moist but well-drained soil, even tolerating occasional dryness.

Fargesia robusta is a plant of the Poaceae family, a type of woody-stemmed grass that develops from a non-invasive rhizomatous rootstock, known as clump-forming. In this type of bamboo, the rhizomes with very short internodes develop slowly at the periphery of the rootstock, which gradually expands, but they also develop towards the centre of the clump, which remains very dense without thinning out in the middle. Fargesia robusta is native to the Sichuan province in China. This bamboo is one of the hardiest, it can withstand temperatures around -18 to -25°C (-13 °F) (-0.4 to -13 °F).

The 'Formidable' cultivar grows in dense and flexible clumps, with the culms gracefully bending under the weight of the foliage. After an establishment period in the first year, it then grows rapidly at a rate of about one metre per year to reach an average height of 4 metres (13 feet 1 inches). Under very favourable growing conditions, it can even grow up to 5 or 6 metres (16 feet 5 inches or 19 feet 8 inches). It forms large clumps with a spread of 2 or even 3 metres, ideal for creating tall hedges. The relatively thin culms (0.3 to 1.5 cm (0.1 to 0.6 in)) are green when young, punctuated by the whitish sheathing base of the leaves. As they age, the culms turn red. The narrow, elongated leaves measure up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long and have a beautiful medium green colour.

Very adaptable when it comes to soil, this Fargesia likes moisture but can tolerate short periods of drought. It prefers rich, neutral, and well-drained soil but can adapt to various conditions. This variety is not afraid of the sun and will also grow in partial shade, on the edge of tall trees. Hardy down to -20°C (-4 °F), it withstands wind well, making it an easy plant to establish in the garden.