Fargesia nitida is flowering everywhere, so you shouldn't have a hard time finding seed -- just don't expect to find it in seed catalogs or common places like that.

It is illegal to import bamboo seed into the US, so you need to find a domestic source. Also, the fresher the seed, the better chance you have of germination.

I've heard that 6 weeks of cold stratification in the refrigerator helps with F. nitida germination. I've had luck with doing that and then just putting it in a germination tray with a thin layer of moist soil on top. I did mine at about 80F. Just be aware that nitida is variable: I had germination after a month or so, but a friend said it took his 9 months!

Is bamboo seed ripe in the summer? There is no bamboo being grown in this part of the country so I will have to look elsewhere. This is not a place where people think bamboo can grow but I am trying anyway. Last week I got a fargesia murieliae. Any ideas of what time of the year to look for bamboo seed? and places to look? thanks