Sorry, but I know of know bamboo that can survive Zone 3. I have heard of people who occasionally manage to grow in Zone 4, but that involves winter protection, such as covering with tarps and a pile of leaves for insulation, and luck. And it is hard to keep it alive for multiple seasons. There are no bamboo I know of whose root systems can survive below -20F (-29C). Your best bet would be to grow a hardy bamboo in a large pot and take it inside for the winter.

Thank you that is good advice.

You might try growing Arundo donax (giant reed) as a bamboo substitute. I have a HUGE clump that grows about 12 feet tall every year. I just toss some nitrogen fertilizer around and in the clump several times during it's growing season, and it grows like a weed. It just keeps getting taller and better looking every year. Most people think it's bamboo for some reason. I live in zone 4, but if you cut off the stalks and mulch it very well in Fall, I think it will survive zone 3. It has certainly survived zone 4 with no problem.

If you try bamboo, I would suggest Fargesia. I have a small clump by the entrace of my house that does extremely well. I've had it for about six years. It is very slow growing, probably because it is shaded most of the day, and keeps it's green leaves through the winter. I've tried other varieties, but our zone 4 winters always kills them back to the ground each year. Fargesia is definitely hardier. Just throw as much snow on it as you can to help protect it.

One of the super hardy fargesias should be able to survive zone 3 if they are well protected each winter. Fargesia rufa is completely hardy to zone 6 without leaf burn once established, so with a thick tarp, it might be possible in your climate. I've heard that arundinarea gigantea which is a native US running bamboo also has some of the best hardiness there is for bamboo.

I would however suggest trying some of the rewarding zone 3 plants. There are many fruit trees that can survive to zone 3 without protection. Northern highbush blueberry plants, and tree peonies as well as many other shrubs can work as well.

I live in michigan (zone 5), and have been growing bamboo for 3 years now. I just posted an update on the front page regarding my findings this spring.

http://dovecreekgardens.com/hardy_snow_bamboo.asp

This is what I bought and who i bought it from. As for protection, I have used NONE for two winters now and have had no top kill and limited leaf damage. This spring I have 22 new shoots popping up, looking forward to seeing this baby explode this summer. Any questions just let me know, I will get pics up in my original thread.