Bamboo's a Growin'

[ron@springhammock]

Probably the most common timber bamboo in the area, Bamboo vularis, is not one I would recommend.  Between suffering through freezes and scale insects I end up with a lot of pre-maturely dead canes.  In any case, it still is my biggest bamboo, and does get peoples attention.

[ron@springhammock]

As an impenetrable barrier against my not so friendly neighbor, Bambusa venticosa works well.  It grows as a very tight twiggy clump and the culms grow with a slight zig-zag, making it impossible to cross through the clump.  Unfortunately, the canes arch out taking up a lot of room.  I’ll probably regret planting this thing.

The variety Kimmei has a little more color than the species, not as spectacular as B. vulgaris Vittata, but still something.

[ron@springhammock]

Another good barrier is my South American timber bamboo, Guadua chacoensis.  It's been growing as a sprawling bush with very sharp spines that have ripped through my skin a few times.  The canes grow long and thin and like a rattan palm, once it grabs you it doesn't want to let go.  I think it has finally grown tall enough to entangle its canes into the crown of a nearby tree; keeping them out of my way.  Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to tolerate freezing temperature any better than my B. vulgaris, so eventually these canes will get knocked down by a bad winter.  I just hope it's good at bouncing back.

[Kris]

Dear Ron  

those stills are suberb and those bamboo's are all bringing

fond memories of my bamboos that i felled to make way for

installing bigger palms in those places.

Thanks & Love,

Kris  

[Scott]

Hi Ron, I agree with Kris - thanks for the great pics. I also like getting the run down on these different types. Thanks!

[BobbyinNY]

Bobby,

I take it the Phyllostachys isn't a runner up in your zone? Down here in FL, 3 clumps of the stuff planted out would be a jailable offense (tongue in cheek) & taking over the county

Oh it sure is a runner up here and a huge one at that...  There are 2 people who have it in my neighborhood and it's about 30ft high... it's ridiculous...... Alot of the nurseries don't wanna sell it cause they say it's invasive.... I love it - looks very tropical

[Scott]

Bobby - Does it defoliate in winter?

[BobbyinNY]

Bobby - Does it defoliate in winter

Well, this is the first winter in the ground, and  it didn't defoilate one bit - green as in summer... and with the cold temps we had this past winter (7f on a couple of occasions) if it didn't defoliate, I'm sure it won't ever.

I know there are alot of different varieties around... I have the golden one.. I'd really like to get the Black Bamboo, but I hear that that's not that cold hardy.

[JakeK]

Bobby,

You should have no trouble growing Phy. nigra or any of its varieties on L.I. Nigra will grow here, but get killed back to the ground in a severe winter. Your winter is milder than mine so go ahead and plant some. Personally I think 'Boryana' and 'Henon' are great varieties of Phy. nigra.

[JakeK]

Kris,

It looks like your first bamboo is Bambusa tuldoides 'Ventricosa'. The second and third could be a number of tropical clumpers. The 'Ventricosa' is referred to as Buddha Belly bamboo.

Kathy,

The number of bamboo species you could use as a screen in your locale and not look ratty after winter is much bigger than you think. PM me if you want a list.

[ron@springhammock]

Kathy, you reminded me that I was using the old name for the Budda Belly Bamboo, I guess I should have referred to it as, Bambusa tuldoides 'ventricosa kimmei'.  I doubt these will get the swollen nodes unless they have been confined into a pot, even for Bambusa tuldoides 'venticosa'.   Kris's bamboo looks a lot like my  onion bamboo, Pseudosasa japonica 'Tsutsumiana'.  I can't really tell from the picture, but a Bambusa would have at least three branches at the node with several smaller branches likely, while the Pseudosasa would only have a single branch at the node with the branch culms usually covered by a persistent sheath.

Thanks for the comments,  Scott and Kris.  As Kris may well know, you really want to know what you're getting into when planting bamboo because they can be a real pain to get rid of.  I'm still figuring out how I'm going to eliminate or at least severly reduce an old clump of Bambusa multiplex that's taken over space I'd rather use for other things.  A neighbor down the road planted Phyllostahys aurea which has now totally engulfed his property and has even filled into a heavily wooded green belt.  It doesn't care, sun or shade, it will take over, I'm just glad he's well away from my property.

Pseudosasa japonica 'Tsutsumiana':

[Kris]

Dear Jake  

thanks for the info on bamboo's.but now iam moving on with

palms collection.and our Dogs eat these bamboo's and vomitt.

so even what is remaining will eventually be lifted to my

terrace garden or even felled.

seeing so many varities of bamboo's_iam remiended of a poem

"all things bright & beautiful,the good god made them all ".

i feel that the creator has just played with this paint brush

when he was in very jolly good mood..created these lovely

bamboosa  

Thanks & Love,

Kris  

[Al in Kona]

Wow, there's a lot to learn about bamboo and how it might fit into the palm garden, etc.  How about an all bamboo house to go with it?  Here's one that was built on Hawaii Island.  They had an open house and I went and got these pics.  If anyone is interested I have more inside pics as well.

[Al in Kona]

Entrance view . . .

[BobbyinNY]

Bobby,

You should have no trouble growing Phy. nigra or any of its varieties on L.I. Nigra will grow here, but get killed back to the ground in a severe winter. Your winter is milder than mine so go ahead and plant some. Personally I think 'Boryana' and 'Henon' are great varieties of Phy. nigra.

Thanks, Jake... I'm gonna look it up on the web..... It's VERY hard to find Running Bamboo here on LI  - Most of the nurseries sell Clumpers - The Native Nazis around here don't like running bamboo because they say it's invasive.

[Kathy]

Al, those homes are beautiful, and have that classic island feel.  I love the roofline.  What species do they use for building?  Just one or more than one?  I'd love to see some inside pics!  One of those would be a dream house for me, and it wouldn't need to be large.

Does anyone use their leftover canes for building things in their yard, and if so, what species?  I thought some bamboo arbors or benches or fencing would look great and maybe be easy to build.

[Scott]

Al - That's my dream house

[JakeK]

Those bamboo houses are virtually indestructible as well. They can easily withstand 120mph winds. Aside from the structural integrity of them, they truly show off how great bamboo is as a renewable resource.

[BobbyinNY]

that's amazing..... what a great idea...... Bamboo is awesome.

[Kris]

Yes,that house rocks !

But here in india i donot know that in these kind of bamboo

houses scorpians & in rare ocassions even snakes take refuge

and also multiply very fast due to our favourable weather...

so we indians prefer concreat structures more than tatched roof structures here..

Thanks for those stills,

Love,

Kris  

[waykoolplantz]

Please show some interior pics...i've dreamed about this type of building at the entrance to TaliAlley

[Brian_K]

Bobby - get some Arundinaria gigantea.  You can tell those plant facists its the only bamboo genus native to the US...  it should be more widely planted

Yellow groove is nice too:

[Scott]

Brian - those pics are gorgeous - especially the second one.  

In the PSSC journal there's a nice article on Bamboo and Palms and how they just naturally go together.

Thanks for sharing the pics!

[Kris]

Dear Brian  

that bamboo looks new to me since we here have this

variety,but the inter node have leaves and spines

throught the entire stem region.

those bamboos in your stills are very nice..

Thanks & Love,

Kris  

[Brian_K]

They are running bamboos.  No thorns, but I did get cut up badly digging the bamboo in the first photo.  The hardiness of Arundinaria gigantea is beyond compare:  that small section pictured is part of a much larger grove that has seen -22F (-30C).

Kris- I don't think you have running bamboo that far south in India, although some phyllostachys are listed being from northeast India. (p. decora).  

Scott - thanks! The Savannah Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens website has pictures of Livistona in front of bamboo.  If only I could grow the tropical ones... they have such amazing architectural qualities.

[Tad]

here is my first wamin, i have 3 others that all came as off shoots of this one.

[Kris]

(Brian_K @ Apr. 01 2007,17:47)

QUOTE

Kris- I don't think you have running bamboo that far south in India, although some phyllostachys are listed being from northeast India. (p. decora).

Dear Brian  

south india_states like kerala,karnataka,tamil nadu & andhra

has lots of bamboo in cultivation and bamboo seems to be a

one of the cash crop of the local farmers.since they here make

ladders,build houses and even decorative fancy items and

art items..

here green steamed & yellow steamed bamboos are very very common affair and never encouraged in house garden since

snakes love them.

but the budha bali bamboo seen in one of the above pictures are rare but now its grown in house garden for show..

Love,

Kris  

[RRONNIE]

Hi all Bamboo lovers,

Noticed this thread just after posting a question thread regarding/topic: "HELP ID BLACK BAMBOO" in "TROPICAL LOOKING PLANTS - Other Than Palms".

Kindly, look there and help, if you can.

Thanks,

Ronnie

[ZoneTenNut]

(ron@springhammock @ Mar. 27 2007,21:09)

QUOTE

Probably the most common timber bamboo in the area, Bamboo vularis, is not one I would recommend.  Between suffering through freezes and scale insects I end up with a lot of pre-maturely dead canes.  In any case, it still is my biggest bamboo, and does get peoples attention.

Ron,

Have your B. oldhami had any problems with scale? I have a couple clumps of these and the more mature clump with culms 30-40 feet high, has developed what looks like scale to me. I'm not that familiar with scale, but what I have looks like what you have pictured.

Roger