bamboo & palms

[palmarazzi]

or will aggressive rhymezones kill tender palm roots? sure you can dig out a portion, but one way or another the bamboos coming back for water and fertilizer.

[Brian_K]

From bambooweb.info:

[palmmermaid]

I am sure the tropical bamboos are fine with palms.  I have planted 3 clumps to provide quick shade so I can plant shade loving palms.  Tropical bamboos are not agressive and don't run.

Temperate bamboos on the other hand are runners and can be very invasive.  Check out www.tropicalbamboo.com for more info.

[ghar41]

I have been dealing with my neighbors running bamboo for four years now.  He planted it on a North facing fence on his side, so it LOVES my south facing sunny side.

When I dig out the runners...the soil underneath is completely devoid of moisture and organic material (which I regularly provide!)  The palms and cycads in this part of my yard are stunted and continuously struggle.

I personally wouldnt plant running bamboo within a 5 mile radius of my house.

[LJG]

Glenn, by law you can require them to stop the trespass. I would require them to put some concrete barrier in place. That would drive me nuts if my neighbors did that. I am sure you have other stuff you could be doing in th yard.

[palmarazzi]

yeah that's a pretty serious thing and most cities require people to install bamboo blockers around their clump. you defiantly shouldn't be digging his roots; your neighbor needs to pay someone to remove it before it’s out of hand.

Remember you don’t need to see a clum to know it’s spreading.

There is a company ‘endangered species’ in los angeles whose specialty is installing cement in ground planters and blockers for bamboo. The reason they have so much bizz, cause neighbors regularly sue each other over it.

[PalmGuyWC]

I have a grove of running bamboo (Pollyostachys pubescens) that has been growing in what once was my front lawn. Mine looks very similar to the picture posted above.  It has coexisted with some palms for over 25 years including Sabal Riverside, Butia X Jubaea and Butiagrus. You can see a picture of mine at the end of the thread under TRAVELOG, Dick Douglas garden.

I can't say I would recommend planting a running bamboo with palms, as it's high maintainance with the foliage sheading in the spring when the new clums come up. The leaves are light weight and blow all over my garden, but the foliage is soon replaced with beautiful light green new foliage. The new clums are eaisly controlled by kicking them off when they are about 8" high. They are brittle and snap off at ground level and don't come back.....at least for that year.

Even though I have some speciman palms growing within easy view of my street and probably the thickest trunked Jubaea in Contra Costa County, people rarely stop to ask about the palms, but I get an inquiry about once a week about the bamboo. Often times people will stop, and walk over and have to touch it. The brave ones come to my door to ask about it, what it is, and could they have some. It's best moved in Feburary when it's still dormant.  I tell them to come back in Feburary, bring two strong backs, a sharp shovel, an ax, and some soil to fill the hole in my lawn.

For me at least, I've found the bamboo well worth the trouble.  There is nothing more serene than walking through a bamboo grove on a warm summer evening and the foliage stays green throughout the winter. I have a few other bamboos that are clumping, my favorite being the Mexican weeping which grows in perfect harmony near a large Rhapidophyllum hystrix.

If space is a problem, there are many smaller bamboos that are eaisly controlled and they mix well with palms and add that tropical touch, but you have to stay ahead of it and let the bamboo know who the boss is.

Dick

[eastern.nurseries]

Most species are triffids , in the short term they are fine, but that is their ploy. Once they are established they will consume your palms , your garden and you.

[Tyrone]

Bamboos have an undeserved bad name because people have planted the wrong bamboo in the wrong place. A bit like people who plant CIDP's under there eaves and then conclude that all palms are monsters and undermine your house.

There are clumpers (most giants) and there are runners. Clumpers have perfectly round trenchless culms between the nodes. Runners have trenches in the culm.

IMO don't plant runners in a small garden or near a boundary as escapees are generally considered the owners responsibilty and it's not nice for your neighbours anyway.

Also don't plant clumpers closer than a metre from a boundary fence because they may crack the boundary fence. But that would happen with a badly placed CIDP or Roystonea anyway.

Palms and Bamboo are like peas and carrots. They complement each other. Just look at SE Asian Rainforests where Kerriodoxa are growing with large Bambusa and Dendrocalamus bamboo clumps. Nothing looks more tropical than palms and bamboo together. I've got large windbreaks from bamboo at my place and they coexist fine. No bamboo will ever escape from my place. It's physically impossible. I've done my homework.

regards

Tyrone

[waykoolplantz]

Indeed...like Peas & Carrots !!

I have 60+ species of bamboo...happily living with 665 species of palms....

i will stop after i get a double coconut

NO RUNNERS  !!

[JeffreyApolloBeach]

PalmBooGarden,  can you post pictures of your collection?  I would love to see some with palms and bamboos together.

Thanks.

Jeffrey

[waykoolplantz]

Despite majoring in PhotoJournalism in college...i seem to be photograpically challenged in the digital age.

Ryan Gallivan...aka Palmarum stopped by last week...(and from his vast and prior posts...one can see his photo skills)...and should be posting something soon

[Patrick]

I'd definitely agree- peas and carrots. When you start looking, you'll see that there's ALL different kinds of bamboo styles.... big green stalks, skinny, BLACK, yellow, striped, running, CLUMPING, tall, short, big leaves, sparse, dense... you name it!!! It just takes a little research. A quick note...the root barrier is a good idea, especially where you live because you'll probably be getting to Phyllostachys (most common / accessible- but very diverse) I don't think there are too many cold-hardy Bambusas- they're clumpers, but by cold hardy I mean 20 deg. F. Check out a book called " Hardy Bamboos, Taming the Dragon" by Paul Whittaker. He's based in the UK so the cold levels are somewhat similar. Plus there's great species descriptions. PM me if you want to save some work because I can tell you some types to look up if you know what you want....

[Scott]

I'll be able to reply better to this in about 5 years. Three Oldhamii with alot of palms planted around. It's gonna be interesting!

[Kris]

I fully agree with Jon,since even i had a few varities of bamboos but all of them had thorns in their stems and

powdery thorns in their leaves.

during summers how much water you pour to its roots within

just half an hour it will appear dry just like the eculyptus tree.

very very thirsty.and all the ferts and nutritions in the ground just vanishes.

so this may not be the case in cold countries.but be careful

with is bamboo species.yes they are wild and are suckers...not ideal for small house gardens like mine !

Love,

Kris  

[Patrick]

Hi scott

See, I think that olhamii is going to be a rough go eventually without planning. Check me on this because I always encourage a second opinion. I'm pretty sure that Bambusa oldhamii is a clumping species. That's good because it doesn't spread by running out to here & there. It's bad because it does spread even still. The clump just keeps getting bigger and bigger, so it's kind of like the german front line during the start of WWII- just keeps going out out out, but at least there's none of the nasty world conquering side effects. But I don't think even the oldhamii moves THAT fast.

That's one perception that a lot of people miss is that just because they call it "clumping" bamboo means that it doesn't spread. Well, it does spread just slowly and steadily- kind of like a canna or similar....

[Scott]

Hi Patrick - Yeah you're right - it's a clumper. a big one too! It's exciting stuff. But This doesn't have any thorns or powdery stuff. Just dark green leaves on green stalks that get huge. Just love it.

The area where the bamboo is, is the hottest on our property. Inside the house there, with AC, it gets over 100 inside. We have a flat roof, and it's a 50's classic that a group of Eichler Home people are trying to get registered as California Historic designation. So I don't want to make any changes to the structure. That leaves me with the main reason I bought the bamboo - dense cooling shade - for the house. I don't have any of my special palms planted around it, just roebs, washies, etc.  They make get swallowed up

I do know that if you go to the Warehouse restaurant in Marina Del Rey, the oldhamii there has swallowed up some washies. and while that hasn't killed them, their fronds look like they've been doing crack or something

[Walter John]

I'll be able to reply better to this in about 5 years. Three Oldhamii with alot of palms planted around. It's gonna be interesting!

Any chance of an update ?

[Justin]

I've had a bunch of tropical clumping bamboos living in relative harmony with my back palm garden for 3-4 years now. The bamboo is along the west fenceline (a couple feet away, btw, not right on it), and the palms are all to the east of the bamboo. So from my balcony, the bamboo is a backdrop to the palms. It makes a great canopy, especially where the bamboo arches over the palms. The only issue is when it arches a bit too much for my liking, but its fairly easy to cut out single culms that do that.

[Walter John]

Must get pics Justin, we need to see too...

[Justin]

Wal, no single photo is that effective at showing the bamboo/palm interaction (the line of bamboo is over 50 meters wide, so a picture can either show the whole area from far away or a single plant from close up), so I would suggest just checking out the various photos from the two albums of my whole yard:

Morning Light

Afternoon Light

The bamboo is behind the area with the tall CIDP, Phoenix dactylifera, Roystonea regia, Butia capitata, etc. On the faraway photos, you can see it coming up through the canopy of the dactyliferas.

[nomolos]

Wal, no single photo is that effective at showing the bamboo/palm interaction (the line of bamboo is over 50 meters wide, so a picture can either show the whole area from far away or a single plant from close up), so I would suggest just checking out the various photos from the two albums of my whole yard:

Morning Light

Afternoon Light

The bamboo is behind the area with the tall CIDP, Phoenix dactylifera, Roystonea regia, Butia capitata, etc. On the faraway photos, you can see it coming up through the canopy of the dactyliferas.

Sensational

[JungleGina]

Hi scott

See, I think that olhamii is going to be a rough go eventually without planning. Check me on this because I always encourage a second opinion. I'm pretty sure that Bambusa oldhamii is a clumping species. That's good because it doesn't spread by running out to here & there. It's bad because it does spread even still. The clump just keeps getting bigger and bigger, so it's kind of like the german front line during the start of WWII- just keeps going out out out, but at least there's none of the nasty world conquering side effects. But I don't think even the oldhamii moves THAT fast.

That's one perception that a lot of people miss is that just because they call it "clumping" bamboo means that it doesn't spread. Well, it does spread just slowly and steadily- kind of like a canna or similar....

Oldhamii is a clumper, however, the new growth will shoot up at the outside of the clump, making it grow bigger and bigger. But like most plants, and even more importantly with this one, bamboo must be maintained. That means cutting out the older culms--these are the culms in the center of the clump. This practice will encourage the bamboo to shoot into the center again. And, as mentioned in another post, you can kick over the brand new shoots while they are still soft if they come up in an unwanted area. Bamboo definitely looks and behaves better when it's been properly maintained. If it's not maintained, you'll eventually end up with an ugly tangle of sticks no matter what variety it is.

[peachy]

I have quite a few of the smaller clumping species of bamboo planted here and there and I think they really add to the 'tropical' look of a garden. Some of them are quite close to palms and there have been no adverse effects. I also have an oldhamii that was quite tiny 2 years ago and now is a gigantic thing, I had no idea it would grow that big. However its not interfering with anything so despite its alarming size, its a welcome addition to the yard. In a couple of small spots where the look of bamboo was wanted but I didnt have the space, I planted tiger grass, it looks like bamboo but isnt. Also ornamental sugar cane can provide a similar effect.

Peachy

[paulgila]

patrick is right,even clumpers will slowly spread.the roots make a mat & will choke out any other nearby plants.

if you have a lot of room bamboo is cool but in a small space i wouldnt advise it.

[MattyB]

Exactly. Clayton says he's got bamboo and palms growing together in perfect harmony. But how many acres are we talking about? When Clayton says they're planted near each other, does he mean within 10 feet, 15 feet? When Paul, gardening in a city lot sized yard, says he's got things planted near each other, he means within inches. It's a matter of perspective. If the bamboo can ever get within a few feet of a plant, eventually that plant is a gonner.

[paulgila]

matt good thing you planted yer bamboo where you did.

[MattyB]

I learned what not to do from you.

[Walter John]

Basically, study up on your bamboo just like you would your palms. You investigate palm growing, where sun and shade will make their mark, how big the palm will grow etc, do the same with bamboo and all plants for that matter. Look after your garden, and your garden will look after you, boom boom, there's no more healthier and rewarding activity.

They mix very well indeed.

[Mark_NoVA]

If the bamboo can ever get within a few feet of a plant, eventually that plant is a gonner.

Unless that plant is an evil Maple Tree...I planted a running bamboo about 5 years ago 10 feet from a Maple...those Maple roots choked it repeatedly and if I hadn't cut them out several times, the bamboo would've died...it's still not very strong there.

[paulgila]

I learned what not to do from you.

i did it on purpose just to teach you a lesson.

a lesson that started...a long time...before i knew you.

or something.

[Tyrone]

If the bamboo can ever get within a few feet of a plant, eventually that plant is a gonner.

NO

[Tyrone]

Basically, study up on your bamboo just like you would your palms. You investigate palm growing, where sun and shade will make their mark, how big the palm will grow etc, do the same with bamboo and all plants for that matter. Look after your garden, and your garden will look after you, boom boom, there's no more healthier and rewarding activity.

They mix very well indeed.

YES

[GTClover]

[Alex-v]

Wal, no single photo is that effective at showing the bamboo/palm interaction (the line of bamboo is over 50 meters wide, so a picture can either show the whole area from far away or a single plant from close up), so I would suggest just checking out the various photos from the two albums of my whole yard:

Morning Light

Afternoon Light

The bamboo is behind the area with the tall CIDP, Phoenix dactylifera, Roystonea regia, Butia capitata, etc. On the faraway photos, you can see it coming up through the canopy of the dactyliferas.

Good job! amazing!!

[LauraAnu]

Wal, no single photo is that effective at showing the bamboo/palm interaction (the line of bamboo is over 50 meters wide, so a picture can either show the whole area from far away or a single plant from close up), so I would suggest just checking out the various photos from the two albums of my whole yard:

Morning Light

Afternoon Light

The bamboo is behind the area with the tall CIDP, Phoenix dactylifera, Roystonea regia, Butia capitata, etc. On the faraway photos, you can see it coming up through the canopy of the dactyliferas.

Justin,

Your garden is amazing

[Justin]

Thanks. I'd feel better were I not about to have a giant hole in the middle of it. I need to replace my giant Phonenix fusariumensis

[KyleNcal]

When you asked the question I thought of a dwarf running bamboo making a ground cover around a palm tree. There are so many different possibilities that there isn't gonna be a clear anwser, not to mention climate, like here in the west where lack of summer rains keeps runners looking like clumpers.

[paulgila]

If the bamboo can ever get within a few feet of a plant, eventually that plant is a gonner.

NO

thats a pretty emphatic answer,dewd,but i have seen the bamboo roots spread & choke out other nearby plants.

with ALOT of space around it bamboo can be an integral part of the garden,but in a small space it eventually will take over.

period.

[hanapalms]

If the bamboo can ever get within a few feet of a plant, eventually that plant is a gonner.

NO

thats a pretty emphatic answer,dewd,but i have seen the bamboo roots spread & choke out other nearby plants.

with ALOT of space around it bamboo can be an integral part of the garden,but in a small space it eventually will take over.

period.

Fabulous garden. You got the space for a couple Corypha and a Metroxylon or two?