Bamboo Land at Howard, Sth East Queensland

[Walter John]

Big trip up the highway on Saturday took us to the famous Bamboo Land garden and nursery at the township of Howard between Maryborough and Childers. Of all the bamboo places I've sussed out, this joint is way out in front for product (species availability) , garden (live specimens) , price and advice/help. I can't speak highly enough of this place, it is an absolutely amazing, awe inspiring place. And it's free to visit, with a donation cup nearby which we gladly gave to. This is worth the drive dear ratpackers and others from the SE Qld community. Not that many photos unfortunately as I was too busy enjoying it.

Gigantochloa Robusta

Famous/favorite white bamboos next to each other, Dendrocalamus minor var 'Amoenus' (ghost) on the left, Bambusa chungii (tropical blue) on the right

[Walter John]

Here's a closer view of these blue/white bamboos. A few fools have been authoring the powdery poles.

[Walter John]

This clump of Bambusa Textilis var. 'Gracilis' or "Slender Weaver's Bamboo" just blew me away completely. One, I didn't realise how bloody tall it could get (I have some planted) and two, the beauty of this beast simply stunned me to silence. Donna tried to talk to me, I couldn't answer.

That's the two white bamboos to the left and a clump of giant buddhas belly to the right.

can't remember if this is Java Black or Timor Black, I'll get black to ya on that one.

[Walter John]

Schizostachyum Brachycladum ‘Yellow’

Gigantochloa

[Walter John]

Gigantochloa sp. 'Rachel Carson'

[Walter John]

Bambusa Heterostachya Variegated

Bamboo Land edges along the Burrum river

[Walter John]

I'm gonna sit right here and ............watch the river flow

[Walter John]

That gracilis one more time..

at the start of the selling area, bamboos by family name.

[Josh]

Thanx for sharing the pics. Theres just not enough pics on the internet of mature clumps of rare bamboos. I hope you can post somemore.

[ariscott]

So, what did you get? Do they have Dendrocalamus gigantia? That and D. latiflorus would be my next purchase.

Regards, Ari

[ariscott]

So, what did you get? Do they have Dendrocalamus gigantia? That and D. latiflorus would be my next purchase.

Regards, Ari

Dendrocalamus giganteus... sorry, I can't spell...

[ariscott]

There are a few big clumps of Dendrocalamus asper at Kebon Raya Bogor. Absolutely huge!! Pity I didn't put size reference... but that made me want to grow dendrocalamus.

Regards, Ari

[Walter John]

So, what did you get? Do they have Dendrocalamus gigantia? That and D. latiflorus would be my next purchase.

Regards, Ari

Hi Ari, this place was great and I wanted one of everything, I mean it

But unfortunately, I don't have much room left in the garden, in fact I don't have the room for all of these, so a few will remain potted till I find a good home. Here's what we brought home:

Bambusa Heterostachya ( got this for free for paying in cash )

Bambusa Heterostachya variegated ( Donna wanted this one )

Bambusa sp. 'New Guinea Black'

Gigantochloa Luteostriata ( formerly called 'South Kalimantan' )

Gigantochloa sp. 'Rachel Carson'

Schizostachyum Brachycladum ‘Yellow’

And Ari, they do have Dendrocalamus Giganteus for $88, one of the most expensive bamboos there in fact. And they have Dendrocalamus Latiflorus for $33 and a really cool cultivar Dendrocalamus Latiflorus cv. 'Mei Nung' for $55. They do transactions around Australia and the whole world so when you have some loose change, look them up.

[Rusty on Pine Is.]

Great pics there Wal.....looks like bamboo can get to be another obsession entirely, and not for the faint of heart price wise either.

Thanks for the pics.

Rusty

[ariscott]

I guess you wouldn't want to know how much I paid for mine then???? Unfortunately, he doesn't have as many different varieties... and for some reason his D. giganteus didn't do so well, so he didn't recommend them. But then... I don't listen to what people are telling me He got normal D. latiflorus, but not the Mei Nung... I am waiting for him to propagate his normal green one. I cringed at how much they charge in QLD....

Regards, Ari

[Walter John]

I guess you wouldn't want to know how much I paid for mine then????

Yes I do, spill the beans Ari.

Can you please tell me Ari the difference between the normal D. latiflorus, and the Mei Nung variation ?

[Josh]

Hi Wal, I'll answer if you don't mind. The regular Dendrocalamus latiflorus is an all green culmed version. Mei Nung has stripes on the culms.

[Scott]

Wal - Great pictures as this topic serves a a guide for the varieties out there. I really like the Java Black and the Schizostachyum Brachycladum ‘Yellow’. They'd look great together.

It must be a nice view of the gardens from accross the river.

Seeing large mature bamboo can really be awe inspiring. Thanks!

[Walter John]

Here's another of some biggies, showing a fallen soldier. Oh Ari, They did have both Dendrocalamus latiflorus (all green) and the Mei Nung (striped) version.

[ariscott]

I paid black bamboo (java black, timor black and asper black) for $25. And everything else is $15. This guy is so cheap, it's not funny!! But I might have to get D. giganteus & D. Latiflorus 'Mei Nung' from QLD, I think... We shall see. I don't think I have any loose change!! All the loose change is spoken for. That is the problem with having brand new property, there is always something to spend the money on... Plus, we have to put a hills hoist next month .

BTW, you would be happy with the Bali Sacred Bamboo (whatever the name is - a bit of a mouthfull) and they are a bit slow to begin with.... G. 'Rachel Carson' looks quite nice too... Besides, you can always plant them at your daughter's place in Sunshine Coast.

Regards, Ari

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Hi Wal,

Ari just told you how you can put another plant or two into your yard

(Hi Ari) that Hills Hoist has gotta go dude I want to do the

same one day but will get to that, Great pictures thanks for sharing

them Wal, catch-up later.

Regards Mikey.

[freakypalmguy]

Beauts Wal. I have to get some of that big timber bamboo. Everytime I see it I say, Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhh.

So Cal Steve has some Dendrocalamus giganteus and it rocks. That was the first time I had ever seen the big stuff.

[FRITO]

nice. thanks for sahring. im just getting into bamboo. Im stuck with the non tropical types though. which there are still plenty of for me.

[Cycadcenter]

Great place isn't it Wal, being only about 20 minutes down the road from Childers it's one of those places that is so close we really should visit more.

Last time we called in they were pretty much sold out of everything but I'll call in in June and see what they have.

Bruce

[realarch]

Have a bit of the bamboo bug lately, want to plant some in the garden and still researching, so thanks for the field trip Wal.

Is there a particular bamboo reference you use or prefer?

Ari, same question to you. I see some books available on Amazon, but will have to get to the library and bookstore to have a look for myself.

Tim

[Cycadcenter]

Tim,

On Saturday and Sunday there will be an Exotic Plant Sale at the Flower Fields in Carlsbad.

Both Bob Dimettia and Ralph Evans will be there selling Bamboo and answering questions, We will also be there with Cycads, brachychitons and Wollemi Pines.

Bruce

[realarch]

Thanks for the info Bruce, that is outstanding! Looks like I'll be making my up north this weekend.

Tim

[MattyB]

Great tour Wal! I guess there's no shortage of mulch around a bamboo forest.

[deezpalms]

I feel bamboozolled

Thanks Wal!!

[Tyrone]

Wal, The bamboo bug has bitten hard hasn't it???

Bamboo is great. We visited Bamboo Land when we came over in 05. A friend of mine was the president of the WA Bamboo Society and he has the best bamboo nursery in WA in the coldest part of the state down near Mt Barker, and he recommended this place. It was really great to walk amongst the huge stands of bamboo. Bamboo just makes you go WOW, whether you're into it or not. Most people are afraid of bamboo. But for those who venture past the fear zone, it's a very rewarding type of plant to grow, and it's invasive reputation is completely unfounded if you're sensible and know what you're doing.

Ari, Dendrocalamus asper will not only grow for you, it will thrive. Just order a truckload of horse manure and plant it in that. Water it profusely and it will explode for you. D latiflorus Mei Nung is beautiful, and I think there is a coloured Asper out there too. D latiflorus does very well for me. Also Bamboo World's prices are very good. That $88 plant would sell for about $165 here. Quarantine hikes the price up through the roof. My bamboo friend told me that he imported around 16 individual small plants from Switzerland (the Europeans grow lots of bamboo in glasshouses), and they had to sit in a quarantine death camp. They went in perfect, but came out bug riddin, half dead, and in the end he only got two plants to live. The costs for all this "quarantine extermination" was incredible. These were a new species, so before he gets any return from his investment, he has to grow them up and then propogate from these plants. That's why rare bamboo's are expensive. It's not like growing palms from seed which is much easier. Of course once a species becomes common, then the price drops off quickly.

So plant bamboo. It's great.

regards

Tyrone

[Tyrone]

Wal, I hope I'm not hijacking your thread, but seeing as we're talking about bamboo I'll post a couple of pics of my bamboo. I took these photos on the weekend from two blocks away. The house two doors down was demolished, so it afforded a view of the bamboo that I wouldn't normally get. On the left of the photographs is Bambusa latiflorus with new culms poking through the canopy. In the middle from left to right is Bambusa textilis albostriata, Bambusa dolichmerithala, Lingnania remotiflora, and good old Bambusa oldhamii on the right toward the front of the back garden.

[Tyrone]

Best regards

Tyrone

[Alicehunter2000]

What kind of cool clumpers can someone grow in zone 9a?

[Walter John]

Excellent Tyronne. I posted this on a general garden forum and it sparked a bit of interest, so for the hell of it, here's a brief take on bamboo in this country at least, from my perspective:

1. Next to palms, bamboo is THE most misunderstood plant there is. Most people still think that it is an invasive running plant, why ? because that's all there was growing and available in oz many years ago and the stigma stuck so to speak.

2. Most bamboos are non-invasive clumping bamboos and are some of the world's most spectacular plants and by far and away the fastest growing plant there is.

3. There are bamboos for all climates, from temperate through to tropical, although the better lookers and clumpers are a tough grow in the cooler regions.

4. Bamboos are generally costly, but the return in growth is well worth it. There are always bargains out there though, you have to hunt them down sometimes.

5. Bamboos species include short 3 to 4 metre plants to over 30 metre plants and can be great as screen/privacy/sheltering plants.

6. Hard to find anything more relaxing and calming than bamboo beauties creaking and brushing in the breeze.

[Walter John]

What kind of cool clumpers can someone grow in zone 9a?

my sources tell me, "Fargesia Robusta" and "Fargesia murielae".

[_Keith]

What kind of cool clumpers can someone grow in zone 9a?

my sources tell me, "Fargesia Robusta" and "Fargesia murielae".

David, the only sources I have found for these is on the West Coast, Cal and Oregon. If you find a Gulf Coast source, please let me know. - k

[ariscott]

Ari, Dendrocalamus asper will not only grow for you, it will thrive. Just order a truckload of horse manure and plant it in that. Water it profusely and it will explode for you. D latiflorus Mei Nung is beautiful, and I think there is a coloured Asper out there too. D latiflorus does very well for me. Also Bamboo World's prices are very good. That $88 plant would sell for about $165 here. Quarantine hikes the price up through the roof. My bamboo friend told me that he imported around 16 individual small plants from Switzerland (the Europeans grow lots of bamboo in glasshouses), and they had to sit in a quarantine death camp. They went in perfect, but came out bug riddin, half dead, and in the end he only got two plants to live. The costs for all this "quarantine extermination" was incredible. These were a new species, so before he gets any return from his investment, he has to grow them up and then propogate from these plants. That's why rare bamboo's are expensive. It's not like growing palms from seed which is much easier. Of course once a species becomes common, then the price drops off quickly.

I have D. asper black, not 'normal' D. asper. I don't know why I didn't just get both . I always love bamboo... but never has a property big enough to house them... I guess up here, things just grow so quickly... this guy just wants volume sales. But I think I have to get D. Latiflorus 'Mei Nung' from QLD. I will post photos of my Dendrocalamus next year... My bambusa has been growing like mad this year... Hopefully I will have screen from one of my neighbours soon enough... The Dendrocalamus went to the back fence to screen another neighbour. On the other side, is government reserve... so we are good!

Bamboo is good!!! There should be more planted!!

Regards, Ari

[Tyrone]

Ari, I'm going down south this weekend to see my bamboo friend with the bamboo and palm nursery(His wife is Thai, and they also run the best Thai restaurant together, in front of the nursery). Do you want me to get a price for the mei nung. He sometimes does me favours. I don't know if it's possible to send it to Darwin, but we have the strictest quarantine in the country, so sending it out of WA may not be a problem. If you did buy it from down there, it would just take off, because his nursery is in the coldest part of WA. I might also take some pics of his bamboo plantings while I'm there.

Best regards

Tyrone

[ariscott]

Yes please, Tyrone... and while you are at it, ask him for D. giganteus as well... And Bambusa Chungii... there are the 3 that I want that I can't get locally

Regards, Ari

[Walter John]

Yes please, Tyrone... and while you are at it, ask him for D. giganteus as well... And Bambusa Chungii... there are the 3 that I want that I can't get locally

Regards, Ari

Our prices might be expensive Ari but at least we have the product :lol: :lol:

aren't you glad you met me ?