[Speedy]

Thanks for the welcome.
Very happy to have stumbled upon this forum
 and Looking forward to learning/exchanging lots of useful information.

[ritamax]

http://etd.uwc.ac.za/usrfiles/modules/etd/docs/etd_gen8Srv25Nme4_8478_1194347734.pdf
You are strangely positive about Arundo donax. Highly invasive in California, South Africa, Spain etc. It grows here in southern Spain covering beaches and river banks at places so rapidly that it seems there is nothing one can do about it. Some other suggestions for a bamboo substitute?

[Speedy]

I'm in a fairly low rainfall area so Arundo donax doesn't get too out of control for me.


Thysanoleana maxima may be ok for you.
a grass, but not a bamboo

It can tolerate maybe down to -2degC , but I don't know how it goes in a dry climate,
 I've not tried it here yet.

A friend imported it to Aust. from Java about 20yrs ago.
'Tiger grass' propagates easily from division and grows into a tight, arching  clump.

Stems to 1cm dia.x 3-4 m, non branching, leaves to about 30cm x 7-8cm.
 smooth, not really hairy or 'itchy' plant at all, so it's fairly user friendly.

http://www.bambooland.com.au/Miscellaneous/Thysanolaena-maxima

there is also a  good range of clumping bamboos worth lookinhg at on that link too.
as you'll see many are tolerate below freezing temps ...briefly, overnight, not constant.

[ritamax]

Pretty this Tiger grass. We have practically no rain, so I am planting only drought tolerant plants.
Arundo donax grows on water here (river banks, beach), but seems to keep well alive also after the water has dried up!