I. What is the shape of the pot? If you have something other than a vase shape -- where the top opening is the largest dimension -- then you should not plant a bamboo directly in it. All bamboo eventually needs re-potting and bamboo produces very woody rhizomes (roots) that expand to the outer edges of the pot. If, say the midpoint diameter of your pot is larger in diameter than the top diameter, you will not be able to extract it from the pot when it needs to be re-potted...unless you use a sledgehammer on the pot. The way to get around this is to plant the bamboo in a standard, vase-shaped, plastic utility pot that will fit inside the ceramic pot. When you need to re-pot, then there is not a problem.

2. Is this going to be an indoor plant? Since you are in 6B, you will have a potential problem keeping many bamboo alive outdoors in the winter.

3. Most colorful bamboo are tropical species which generally require warmer climates than yours. What is your definition of a colorful bamboo?

I have grown bamboo in pots for many years and here is my 2 cents worth of advice. The last commenter is right on about pot shape. All tall bamboo will outgrow the pot within a few years, either becoming too root bound or breaking the pot. I have many of the large ones in pots but they need to be split and repoted after a few years. The really large ones (over 35 feet tall) have always done poorly for me in pots after a year or two, even in very large pots. Dwarf types (less than about 12 feet tall) will usually take longer and be easier to manage. You will have to check on the cold tolerances for your area but I have had the following in 5 or 15 gallon pots for at least 5 years and they are fairly happy: Fargesia nitida (dwarf Black), Chimonobambusa marmorea (Marbled), Hibanobambusa tranquillans "Shiroshima", Japanese Arrow, Indocallamus tessalatus, Fargesia coronallis, and several of the dwarfs that are less than 3 feet tall. All of these are really beautiful varieties. Hope this helps.

Also, get a big/deep saucer for under the pot. The longer it is in the pot, the more water it will need and the more often. Bamboo likes water!