Phyllostachys nigra ‘Hale’ (Hardy Black)

Description

Phyllostachys nigra ‘Hale’ 🎍
Common Name: Hardy Black Bamboo
Type: Running Bamboo | Ornamental 🌿 | Cold-Tolerant & Elegant 🌾

Phyllostachys nigra ‘Hale’ is a hardier and more robust cultivar of the classic black bamboo, specially selected for improved performance in colder climates ❄️🌿. This stunning variety features slender culms that mature from green to a rich, glossy black, creating a striking contrast with its vibrant green foliage.

Reaching heights of up to 30 feet, Hale is ideal for privacy screens, ornamental groves, or dramatic landscape accents—delivering all the beauty of traditional black bamboo with added resilience and vigor 🌳🎋. Its graceful, upright habit and bold coloring make it a designer favorite in both modern and naturalistic gardens.

🌿 Key Features:
📏 Height: 25–30 ft (7.5–9 m)
📐 Spread: Spreading (use rhizome barrier or root pruning)
❄️ Hardiness Zones: USDA 6–10
🎍 Growth Habit: Running, upright and elegant
🌑 Culms: Green maturing to jet black over 2–3 years
🍃 Foliage: Dense, bright green leaves
🌞 Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
🏡 Uses: Privacy screens, ornamental plantings, architectural contrast

✅ Why Choose Phyllostachys nigra ‘Hale’?
🌑 Deep black culms offer bold visual contrast
❄️ Hardier than standard black bamboo—great for cooler climates
🌿 Fast-growing and low-maintenance
🏡 Ideal for screening or stunning standalone specimens
🌞 Perfect for designers seeking color and form

Phyllostachys nigra ‘Hale’ brings the classic sophistication of black bamboo to more gardens—without sacrificing style or strength 🎍🌿.

The culms are said to turn jet black quicker than regular nigra. It is an elegant bamboo and the one to try if you want the best chance of having success with a solid black bamboo clum in harsher climates.