Rubromarginata Bamboo (phyllostachys rubromarginata)

One of the best species for combining cold hardiness with large size, it is also relatively tolerant of cold, dry winds. Culms are strongly upright and nearly straight. Cultivated in China for its edible shoots, which have only a slight acrid flavor even when raw. A particularly prolific producer of shoots, this species begins shooting relatively late and can continue to produce shoots throughout the summer if the moisture supply is steady. Culms are thin-walled, strong, and nearly circular in cross section. Tests have shown this species to produce outstandingly high yields of poles and pulpwood. Nodal ridges (“joints”) are narrow and only slightly elevated, the least prominent of any Phyllostachys species. Culms are well suited for splitting into strips for weaving.