should be OK as long as it gets plenty of water and sunlight.

Your oldhamii shoots should do well.. I've had most of my clumps ni the ground now for 3 years. You are in the same zone as I am... In FL where I am we have gotten just a couple days where its actually below 30...
The Vittata and Lako have died back a bit and come back full force come spring again.

Heres a pic of my OldHamii begnining of this year..
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Here is a link that might be useful: Some photos of my bamboos

Thanks for the replies.

WheresJS,

Nice pics! Your oldhamii look pretty upright. Have they always been that way? My one tall culm is bending over about 3/4's of the way up. They get plenty of sunlight and moisture, but most of the branching has occurred near the top causing it to bend...

Thanks,

Mike

Mike

Yup.. they are always styanding at attention..now my Ventricosa (Buddha Belly) is forever leaning over... I have some around 30 feet tall on a nice lean....

The Oldhamii that you see in my photos is actually the new growth.. the mother plant is off somewhere else... I have about 4 or 5 clumps of oldhamii throughout the property.. with the thickest culms thus far being at about 2in thick, around 40 ft. tall...

cant wait 'till next year

Yes, I'm expecting great things for next year!

Your oldhamii have always been standing at attention... hmmm... I've read in a few of the other forums that people are claiming that crushed aspirin is good for some plants. Maybe I'll have to try crushed Viagra to help my bamboo...

Mike

Top branches are always the first to leafout. Oldhamii will grow new branches off the main culm for two or more years.Bending at the top is normal until everything gets woody enough to support the weight. This is a normal growing habit and you should have noticed it by now.IF you don't like it cut the top off and see what happens.

Thanks Wildcat,

I don't mind it too much, but wanted an idea of how much area below would end up being shaded. It does hang over in my neighbor's yard a bit, but he says he doesn't mind. I have tied it up until such time it hardens-off.

Mike

Do a careful look see before pruning, esp. after a couple years, the secondary leaf canes do a lot of the spread, over hang and shading. I have a 10 year, B. Oldhami and just cut 4 or 5 secondary branches (about 1/2 inch at the joint bulge) from 5 to 7 sections above the ground == 5 ft up. These removals took a lot of overhang out of that side of the clump.. the secondary's go up a couple feet and then arched out six feet or more. IMO, it is rarely necessary to top off a stem, most thining can be done on the secondary leaf branches.