Bamboo & things

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Mar 24, 2007 1:00 pm

The first time I grew Bamboo (many years ago) it lived for 2 years & then went to seed. It was only recently (3 years ago in fact) that I decided to try again. This time it hasn't (yet) run to seed - and this morning, after weeks of rain, it's dull and very misty - but the light 's making the Bamboo (& the Rhododendron rosamundi show up against their backgrounds.

This corner, where you see gravel used to be lawn, but it was so awkward to mow such a small space that I substituted gravel, stepping stones, rocks and the Tanyosho Pine. I've called it gravel, but it's actually 3/4 inch crushed rock.

George Nesfield · Post by **George Nesfield** » Mar 24, 2007 4:37 pm

Hi Bert,
Your corner looks real nice,
I had the same with my bamboo it all flowered and died but fortunatly underneath it was a tray with some compost in it and the seeds germinated and I finished up with pots and pots of bamboo seedlings which I gave most of them away, some I planted in my garden and some I put in large pots.
George.

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Mar 24, 2007 4:44 pm

George,

Thanks - & I'll keep your experience in mind. The demand for Bamboo here is a lot greater than the supply & if I could grow a few hundred seedlings it'd yield quite a healthy profit.....

Bert

George Nesfield · Post by **George Nesfield** » Mar 24, 2007 5:03 pm

Hi Bert,
You might have to wait a long time, they reckon that a bamboo flowers every hundred years and then dies. so I shouldn't be seeing my bamboo ever flower again if that is true.
This is a photo of the flowers.
George.

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Mar 25, 2007 7:26 am

The bamboo which seeded was Muriel
It seeded over a period of a few years ... the reason being that most of the bamboos were all from the original parent, and would seed at the same time. They are supposed to seed only every 100 years or so
It provided an ideal opportunity to grow bamboo for yourself which would last for another 100 years until it started to seed again
I recall having to tell George NOT to give them away as they were indeed very valuable
You missed a great opportunity Herb

George Nesfield · Post by **George Nesfield** » Mar 25, 2007 10:15 am

Hi Sam,

This was Sams post
(I recall having to tell George NOT to give them away as they were indeed very valuable )
I will never learn will I but it's a bit late to change now that I am knocking on a bit.

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Mar 25, 2007 11:23 am

Sam & George,

From what you say & judging by George's picture, I think the bamboo that I lost years ago must have been Muriel's Bamboo - it was in the 1970s, & it was a clumping bamboo.

This got me curious about the one I have now. It was sold to me as Black Bamboo, which I've been assuming was Phyllostachys nigra. However, I now see that the Western Gardening Book says that Fountain Bamboo (Fargesia nitida - also called Semiarundinaria nitida) has stems that mature to black too.

It says Fountain Bamboo is a "light, airy, graceful, narrow clump, arching & drooping at the top". Not only that, but whereas it says Bambusa nigra is a running variety, Fountain Bamboo on the other hand is a clumping sort. When I looked them both up via Google Images, my bamboo looks (to me) more like Fountain Bamboo than P. nigra. At first I was very pleased about this.

But then I looked up the topic of seeding on the Internet, and panic has set in, because I found several sites indicating that Fountain Bamboo is running to seed - NOW!

Perhaps I should be hoping that it isn't Fountain Bamboo.... I don't see any signs of seed yet, (cross fingers) but I have only the one plant & I wonder whether that means that any seeds will be sterile.

Herb

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Mar 25, 2007 2:54 pm

I have both of these bamboos Herb
Have you a photograph or two?
If it DOES go to seed remember to collect all the seed and grow your own

Nitida is indeed a great 'clumping' bamboo but Nigra is NOT too much of a runner. Indeed it has been called 'clumping' in a number of places, and it certiainly doesn't 'run' too much with me

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Mar 25, 2007 3:29 pm

Here's a picture of it taken this morning. I looked carefully at all the culms, & none of them shows the slightest hint of turning black. It makes me wonder if it can be Fargesia nitida?

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Mar 26, 2007 5:01 am

The leaf isn't anything like Nitida Herb
Nigra takes a few years to develop the black colour fully
Can you get a close up of the culms?

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Mar 26, 2007 12:50 pm

Sam,

Here's a close-up of some of the culms. On the right of the picture there's a thin stem that looks very dark - but it isn't. It's because it's in shadow.

I'm getting more and more intrigued. Since it's not Nitida, maybe it is Phyllostachys nigra after all & the culms haven't had enough time to turn black?

But I still like it, even if it's something else altogether.

Bert

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Mar 26, 2007 2:59 pm

It doesn't look like Nigra either Herb
What about Aureum. Aureum can be green stemmed or yellowish if in sunlight
Mine is not in sun and is green, but the leaf certainly looks similar
Spectabilis is another one but I doubt if it is that

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Mar 26, 2007 4:12 pm

Thanks, Sam. Your Aureum certainly looks very much like what we have. With the added benefit that I'm going to stop worrying that it's likely to go to seed this year.... Bert

George Nesfield · Post by **George Nesfield** » Mar 26, 2007 4:54 pm

Hi Bert,
So it's hard luck then, you will have to work for your money

George.

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Mar 27, 2007 2:39 pm

Herb
I have had a close look at some of my Nigra
The new culms are a dark green ... maybe a little darker than yours, but nevertheless green
I am beginning to think yours might indeed be Nigra
Give it time and see what happens

Part of the joys of gardening anyways ....

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Mar 29, 2007 11:41 pm

Sam,

Well I never - I guess that's good news. Hope now springs anew.

Definitely all part of the joy of gardening!

Bert

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Bamboo & things

Bamboo & things

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