Blue bamboo

[Vincent]

I heard about "Blue" bamboo. Anyone growing it? Does it do well in southwest Florida? Any tips?

[carver]

Bambusa chungii, excellent around here, fast grower, southern tip of Pinellas. Seemed to do fine with the cold this last winter too. If you want a real stunner dendrocalimus minor "amoenus" same powdery blue with a great variegation underneath.

[Vincent]

Yeah, I have been looking for something to provide some canopy shade. This sounds pretty good. Do you have any available you would like to trade cycads, palms etc for?

[Rusty on Pine Is.]

Have you checked the guy on Zemel Rd?

[carver]

Not yet, should be pretty easy to find though. It's getting more common, two nurseries near me sell it. Good luck!

[palmmermaid]

It does really well here in Palm Beach County. Tropical Bamboo nursery sells many varities of bamboo, including the angel mist variety. Robert Saparito is the owner. He has a good website if you want to check it out. http://www.tropicalbamboo.com

[Moose]

Mike Harris (Waykoolplantz) has the nicest clump that I have personally seen growing anywhere.

[Gallop]

I've been growing Bambusa chungii in Pensacola Fl for the last 3 yrs large clump, clums 2" in diameter aprox 25' tall. It defoliates every winter, I got tired of it, being marginal for my area it doesn't like frost . I had it dug up and gave it away last week. It was in my best micro climate against the house but still struggled with our winters.

[JasonD]

Here in Northern & Central California, blue bamboo is the name applied to Himalayacalamus hookerianus and Borinda boliana. Both are cool-loving clumping mountain bamboos.

[John Case]

Here in Northern & Central California, blue bamboo is the name applied to Himalayacalamus hookerianus and Borinda boliana. Both are cool-loving clumping mountain bamboos.

Jason, I have a Bambusa chungii that seems to do alright. I think that may what the gentleman has......BTW, both of your choices work well here too. the Borinda is a difficult find.

[edbrown_III]

I've been growing Bambusa chungii in Pensacola Fl for the last 3 yrs large clump, clums 2" in diameter aprox 25' tall. It defoliates every winter, I got tired of it, being marginal for my area it doesn't like frost . I had it dug up and gave it away last week. It was in my best micro climate against the house but still struggled with our winters.

thanks for posting this -- I was beginngn to get interested in it. I have the large oldhamii big but it takes a hit some winters ( not last year for some reaosn)

Best regards

Ed

[John Case]

I've been growing Bambusa chungii in Pensacola Fl for the last 3 yrs large clump, clums 2" in diameter aprox 25' tall. It defoliates every winter, I got tired of it, being marginal for my area it doesn't like frost . I had it dug up and gave it away last week. It was in my best micro climate against the house but still struggled with our winters.

thanks for posting this -- I was beginngn to get interested in it. I have the large oldhamii big but it takes a hit some winters ( not last year for some reaosn)

Best regards

Ed

Ed,

The oldhamii is far more cold resistant than any of the others we have discussed.......how big is it? As juveniles, all tropical clumpers are less resistant to cold damage...

[Walter John]

I'm growing B.chungii for the first time, planted last March/April, this can be one of the more expensive bamboos here, unless you get around and locate the bargain sellers at local markets etc.

[edbrown_III]

I've been growing Bambusa chungii in Pensacola Fl for the last 3 yrs large clump, clums 2" in diameter aprox 25' tall. It defoliates every winter, I got tired of it, being marginal for my area it doesn't like frost . I had it dug up and gave it away last week. It was in my best micro climate against the house but still struggled with our winters.

thanks for posting this -- I was beginngn to get interested in it. I have the large oldhamii big but it takes a hit some winters ( not last year for some reaosn)

Best regards

Ed

Ed,

The oldhamii is far more cold resistant than any of the others we have discussed.......how big is it? As juveniles, all tropical clumpers are less resistant to cold damage...

Its pretyy big -- been in the ground a sdozen years or so. perhaps 50 large canes some 30 feet tall or so. --- it has seen 20 or 21F at the lowest.

Best regards

Ed

[John Case]

I've been growing Bambusa chungii in Pensacola Fl for the last 3 yrs large clump, clums 2" in diameter aprox 25' tall. It defoliates every winter, I got tired of it, being marginal for my area it doesn't like frost . I had it dug up and gave it away last week. It was in my best micro climate against the house but still struggled with our winters.

thanks for posting this -- I was beginngn to get interested in it. I have the large oldhamii big but it takes a hit some winters ( not last year for some reaosn)

Best regards

Ed

Ed,

The oldhamii is far more cold resistant than any of the others we have discussed.......how big is it? As juveniles, all tropical clumpers are less resistant to cold damage...

Its pretyy big -- been in the ground a sdozen years or so. perhaps 50 large canes some 30 feet tall or so. --- it has seen 20 or 21F at the lowest.

Best regards

Ed

Ed,

20 or 21 will kill a chungii if its small, so the fact the you get dieback should be expected.......I would love to see a photo of the clump now, in its autumnal glory!

[Vincent]

Thanks to Rusty- I went to a local place to buy some bamboo. The blue bamboo was very cool but very expensive. I found a real good variety called oldhamii. 7 gal size for $60 compar4ed to 7gal blue bamboo (Chungii) at $98. Just as cold hardy as the blue and actually has a slight blue hue to it. Hoping to get some rain to welcome it to the garden (we have been in another drought again). I appreciate everyone's input. The bamboo mixes in with palms really well I have found. If anyone has any experience or growing tips for the oldhamii let me know what you have learned. Thanks.

[Gallop]

Bambusa vulgaris 'Vittata' I'm growing 4yrs now takes a hit each winter but always comes back larger. My favorite and best grower for me though has been the Mexican weeping bamboo, absolutely gorgeous IMO.

[John Case]

Vincent,

since I don't know where you are, it is difficult to provide culture suggestions for anything...

[Mark_NoVA]

I'm growing 'blue bamboo', but probably a different one than you're asking about--Phyllostachys glauca. The new culms have a nice light blue tinge to them.

[Walter John]

Here's my clump of chungii, early days. I fed all my bamboo Dynamic Lifter this afternoon , just before the rains..

DL, as we call it, contains composted chicken manure, Blood and Bone, fish meal and seaweed, and bamboo should love it.

[Walter John]

The sister boo to blue is ghost.

[Vincent]

Seems there are quite a few fans of bamboo out there. I am also amazed by how many things people make with it, including food! The "black" bamboo looks really cool too. If anybody is building anything neat with it, tell me what you got!

[carver]

We thinned out a nice clump of old hammi, and gold vittata. Started a bunch of the gold, super easy from cutting. The rest was used for a shade house that also doubles as a drying rack for future bamboo projects. Quartering it has made some beautiful frames, and my friend uses her black lako for hanging batiks. A little tung oil and the color lasts, very nice! Plan on making some bamboo adirondack chairs soon, off topic, here is a bench we made out some local wood, live oak legs and monkey pod seat.