Arundo Donax... any opinions on this stuff?

Jova · Post by **Jova** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:33 pm

Just picked up a clump of this stuff today... It's also referred to as wild cane, giant reed, spanish cane, etc... It caught my eye last fall at a local nursery that had a huge clump of it that was at least 15 feet tall, and it looked very tropical to me. Today, I stopped by the same nursery, and one of the guys sold me a 25 gallon pot of it for $20, so I think I got a pretty good deal. Anyways, does anyone else have this? I'd like to hear some opinions/experiences with it. Looked it up and it says it's hardy to zone 6a. Here's a pic of the pot of arundo that I bought today, and btw: that's not a hand growing out of the soil, I threw my glove in it for a size comparison:) And don't mind the 130lb dog, he gets in the way of almost every photo I take:) Any replies are appreciated, thanks!

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:57 pm

I have both the green form and the varigated ("versicolor") varieties. They're nearly busting the pots apart to get planted, so this spring once I set my mind to it.
I have printed reference of it being hardy to zone 7. I know it's hardy here in zone 8b. Perhaps someone can shed light on colder experiences.

Cheers, Barrie.

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 4:10 am

it looks like they also sold you a human hand!!!

It's completely hardy in zone 6b Niagara, Ontario. I've tried some this past winter (zone 4b/5a) with about 6" of mulch on top. I don't expect it to come back. It is generally regarded as a zone 7 plant, but I think that may be too conservative. I'd say it will take most 6b's and some 6a's!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:21 am

Eric

RE: Var.Arondo donax
I posted this picture on the other thread I recently posted-"Latest pics and other stuff" etc

I mulched it with 6" or so of leaves,mulch.
The first year it grew about 4' or so,it's coming back nicely

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -10013.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -10013.jpg" border="0" alt="Giant (varigated)reed grass"></a>

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 7:57 am

Paul Ont wrote:it looks like they also sold you a human hand!!!

It's completely hardy in zone 6b Niagara, Ontario. I've tried some this past winter (zone 4b/5a) with about 6" of mulch on top. I don't expect it to come back. It is generally regarded as a zone 7 plant, but I think that may be too conservative. I'd say it will take most 6b's and some 6a's!

Paul, how was your Arundo after the year 2009-2010 wintering? I bought a couple varieties last fall. They are overwintering in my slightly heated greenhouse (day time temp. 10 -15C, night time - 0 - -5C). By the way the plants start growing under these conditions so I've made several layers for rooting... This spring I'm going to plant my Arundo's for outside growing. That's why your extremal experience would be an asset.

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 9:17 am

Igor- All the plants of this that I had are now dead. I think I'm about 1-1.5 zones too cold for it without significant mulch cover (I only gave it 6" which was not enough, apparently)

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 9:27 am

Sorry for that but your experience helps to the Others. By the way have you ever haven an experience with the sweet bay? Or Fuchia magellanica? I'm trying to find out some similarity of your climate with mine. At your place how the apricots, peaches or the Circassian walnut are doing?

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 11:48 am

Igor- Sweet Bay (assuming M. virginiana) is hardy, if a northern form is selected. I have tried 'Henry Hicks' and it survives but is knocked back quite often. I have yet to find an evergreen form that retains its foliage in an average winter here.

I can't speak to apricots of the Circassian walnut (never heard of it), but peaches are available locally. I've not tried to grow one and, speaking from an historical perspective, they are not considered hardy. I can say that there are not any local peach orchards, so they are at least not viable economically. I know that some nurseries are selling P. persica in the area, but there isn't any data on their performance (they are claimed to be hardy in zone 4b)...

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 12:56 pm

Igor, I will be trying Fuschia magellanica this summer, I'll let you know how it performs!