Fargesia 'Winter Joy' (Winter Joy Umbrella Bamboo) is a remarkable clumping bamboo cultivar that belongs to the family Poaceae. This winter hardy bamboo forms strong, slender, upright, tight clumps of green stems with dense foliage. The foliage is lance-shaped, evergreen, and distributed to the top third of the cane. It is a lively green, which contrasts exquisitely with the variations in the cane coloration, which ranges from green to reddish-brown. The oldest foliage drops throughout the year, but particularly in the fall. Winter Joy Umbrella Bamboo is a recent horticultural selection. This hardy Fargesia hybrid is a cross of Fargesia nitida with Fargesia murielae. Fargesias are indigenous to the mountains of China, and their ability to withstand cold temperatures has been passed to Winter Joy. Like all the other members of Fargesia, it is a clumping bamboo that spreads slowly, and it is non-invasive. Winter Joy winter hardy bamboo has an upright habit and a moderate growth rate. It reaches up to 3 to 4 m in height and 1.5 to 2.5 m in width. This cold hardy bamboo can grow very quickly, at a rate of 40 to 50 cm (19.7 inches) annually. Fargesia nitida x murielae 'Winter Joy' can be used as hedging, ornamental screening, or as a specimen plant.
