We want to have a pretty dense screen that will grow to 20 feet or so (in
our climate, not just theoretically in the tropics). We will improve the
soil with plenty of peat moss and composted cow manure, so nutrients and
drainage should not be problems. We are in zone 6, and soil runs somewhat
acid. The site is 125' by 6' and will have rhizome barrier. Lighting
varies from part-shade to full sun. Given the fairly large area, I would
like something that spreads quickly. Ideally, I like large leaves and
leaves as far down the culm as possible (but a dense screen is the most
important characteristic). We are considering:

P rubromarginata
P bissetti
Pseudosasa Japonica

I like the larger leaves of the P Japonica, but I am concerned that 12'
might be the max in this area. I have considered dividing my 6' depth with
rhizome barrier and planting a taller bamboo in the back and pseudosasa
japonica in the foreground. Will having only three feet of depth limit the
height on these?

I had about settled on rubromarginata when a nursery person told me that its
adequacy as a screen varies a lot by season and site. In Winter, it tends
to be a much lighter screen, while warm Summers (especially with plenty of
water) really make it dense. I was really hoping for something that would
be dense year-round.

Do you have any other suggestions for my situation?

Thanks for your input.
-----------
Bob Peticolas