What (Phyllostachys) species is this?

[VivaLaBamboo]

Does anyone know what species this is? And if so, could recommend a good way to propagate?

I dug this up and transplanted it yesterday and, as you can see, is already dieing. They seem to be fairly small. This one is about 6 feet. The tallest one in the grove was probably only 8-10 feet.

Thanks for any input.

[Mark Meckes]

Hi!
It's a Phyllostachys. I can tell by the alternating `groove' on the culm (stem), and Phyllostachys usually having 2 branches at each node.

Okay so we've reduced our guess from 1200 species to one Genus, (Phyllostachys) which is comprised of 60 or more species..

Now the ID' ing gets tough...
Can you get a picture of the bamboo stand/grove?

What are the growing conditions?
Trying to deduce if this is what's causing short stature, or if it's one of the smaller growing species.

Is the color of the groove the same color as the rest of the stem?

Re; propagation... you need a healthy hunk of rhizomes attached to the cane, otherwise you will need to reduce the top proportionately and hope for the best.
Also try misting the leaves occasionally.
Are you able to keep it in a shady local for a few days?
Fresh dug bamboo can show signs of wilt for the first few days, till they get over the transplant shock...
My observation is that if the leaves don't perk up in about 3-4 days they probably won't. If there's enough stored energy in the rhizomes, it will need to rely on new leaves developing. You'll see these as tiny buds close the leaf /stem.
If the buds turn a light beige, that cane is `done in', and the plant will need to rely on viable buds on the rhizomes to produce new canes.

Mark

[VivaLaBamboo]

What are the growing conditions?

Where it came from gets full sun and little to no water. Although, it's possible it could be getting a trickle from a nearby stream--about 100 ft away. There aren't very many; maybe 100 in a small area, 20ft square or so.

I would like to place it in a shady area but if it needs full sun, I have place for that as well. It is in a pot right now and getting full sun. I will move it to a shady spot for now, as you said.


Re; propagation... you need a healthy hunk of rhizomes attached to the cane, otherwise you will need to reduce the top proportionately and hope for the best.

I'm still learning the terminology. Are the rhizomes the shoots that come off of the stalk? Also, the cane is the stalk, right?

I'm attaching some other pics I took. If I get a chance, I'll take one of the grove.

There's another grove nearby, of the runner variety, I think. Those are huge. Probably like 50 feet. If I have to, I can get a start of those, as they are constantly growing out of control and have to be cut back. I really want to get a start of this, though (the Phyllostachys). Half of the grove has already been bulldozed and I want to get some growing if and before they remove the others. That and I just like the way they look.

Thanks

[Mark Meckes]

>"Are the rhizomes the shoots that come off of the stalk? Also, the cane is the stalk, right?"
- Yep n yepper.

http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/data/508/thumbs/809031009-851.JPG
Bending rhizomes in a can ( http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/showphoto.php?photo=419)
hehheh this is a rhizome that I dug up from the gallery...
I'll be digging up the `real thing' in a couple days so I'll take some pics.

The roots that grow off from each node on the rhizome are really what sustains the plant.
The rhizomes are mainly for nutrient translocation and to keep the culms (canes) anchored.
Some buds on the rhizomes turn into more rhizomes, other buds decide they want to be shoots. Digging boo during this time of year, you may already see some evidence of shoot formation, in preparation for spring.

It's important to dig up as much rhizome as you can with the plant, first cutting around the perimeter of the plant till all rhizomes are severed, then carefully prying up the root ball, trying to keep as much soil intact as possible.

FYI The Phyllostachys you have is also a runner.

I'm wondering if the plant you have is from an offset of the big grove you mentioned.

Could it be Phyllostachys vivax? ...reason I'm guessing is because P. vivax can get big and tall, and is one species that develops a white powdery ring below the each node.

Check out the other grove and see if you can see any general similarities.

Mark

[VivaLaBamboo]

Hi. We got a good rain last night and the leaves are perking up a bit now. Hope it makes it.

I checked out that other grove today and they look pretty similar except they're bigger and darker green. Looks like I overestimated their height. Looking today they seem more like 30 feet.

[Mark Meckes]

> We got a good rain last night and the leaves are perking up a bit now.

Cool :) Hopefully your plant will have a chance to recover from transplant trauma. Some leaves will still yellow and drop off and hopefully new buds will sprout new leaves.

> I checked out that other grove today and they look pretty similar except they're bigger and darker green.

If you can provide a pic showing newer and older culms (different coloration) we can try to ID it.

Mark

[Agrobambu]

VivaLaBamboo & Mark
Please, insert a pic of the bamboo basis ,near the ground, to have a better view( to see the first 3 or 4 nodes).
Ene

[VivaLaBamboo]

I'm not sure which bamboo you're talking about, but here is a pic of the one I recently transplanted. It is burried a couple inches below the original ground line. At the time, I didn't know to keep it at the same level; I have learned a lot in the last few days.

By the way, Bamboofount, I check out your website. Cool fountains. I tried to make one similar last year but it didn't turn out well. I may try again this summer.

[Mark Meckes]

Our cat, Big Kitty, of 19 years, died today, and we buried him in his favorite place... our P. aurea grove.
May he rest in peace, and return in the spirit of bamboo.
I had to remove some rhizomes for the hole...
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/503/thumbs/1050128-24PaureaRhizome.JPG
Photo #1 ( http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=886) Phyllostachys aurea rhizome
Dug Jan 28, Central Texas (mid winter, showing buds already beginning to swell).
The bud on far right was developing as a shoot, whereas the back buds would have developed into more rhizomes.

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/503/thumbs/1050128-25PaureaRhizome.JPG
Photo #2 ( http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=887) Showing rhizome bud swelling, which will become a new rhizome leader.

[Agrobambu]

Mark

We're sad about your Big Kitty but with 19 years certainly he had lived happy all your "seven lifes". Ziggy ( my labrador)have now 10 years and we know that they not live too much.
About rizhomes to VivaLabamboo I'm sending a pic #1 to complement your pics.
I have too much difficulties to make news plants from rizhomes I prefer to use the traditional method (cutting 1 ft square around a culm x 1/2 ft deep)
with a spade standing up the rizhomes with the soil around it. This will keep the same conditions of the environment to stabilize the plant at your new location. Here you can see the two situations at this next pics. The #2 colected with the soil, the #3 only the rizhome with the culm (was died)- 1 year lost...
Very interesting is this other old method, using a culm with branches on the ground, horizontally #4.The culm it is on the soil near 1 year an its green like the first day when I put him there( Not completely covered- 2/3 only).
Tanks,
Ene

[Agrobambu]

VivaLabamboo
:)
I'm not sure what kind of bamboo you have, but Mark have more knowledge to do it. I have many big diameters bamboos (Oldhami,D.giganteus and B.vulgaris) and too much P.aurea .Your bamboo it is completely different of mines - sorry, but I cant help you to identify them.
Tanks about the fountains at-www.bamboofount.com.br-, I learn to do it troughout this last 12 years and I am not sure that I have reached the best, but I'm trying to go there. I hope you can go faster. The first step, it is to have your own bamboos and after to learn how to work them. My bamboos needs, since they are harvested, untill to becomes a fountain, to wait 9 month (like a baby).
I'm remodeling this site with the new models of fountains I have- You can see something more at the gallery.
Harvest-to keep on the forest 2/3 weeks- Tear of the branches - Clean (one by one) - Cut on pieces to storage - Wait to dry/dry on owen or other - wait complete dry - treatment at autoclave - dry a new time - cut on pieces and
so on...( During this time we have some enemys: fungus,virus,bugs and others)-As you can see at my post -about Vitatta desease.
Tanks,
Ene

[VivaLaBamboo]

Well, my little culm didn't make it. I'm going to be sure to get plenty of rhizome next time. Now I actually have an idea of what i'm doing. :)

I've been looking around on the internet and I think the species might be P.aurea. I think that's the one they call "golden bamboo." They say it's common in the US.

[Agrobambu]

VivaLaBamboo
Pay atention, P.aurea it is a running too.
I have a pic called -Begining harvest - at my gallery. Give a look what about
we are talking. P. aurea/Golden bamboo it is a beautifull bamboo and usefull.
Research "P.aurea" at google you will have a lot of informations.
Good luck,
Ene

[paulineisaachsen]

Well, my little culm didn't make it. I'm going to be sure to get plenty of rhizome next time. Now I actually have an idea of what i'm doing. :)

I've been looking around on the internet and I think the species might be P.aurea. I think that's the one they call "golden bamboo." They say it's common in the US.

Hi there. The thing that would have saved your little bamboo would have been a severe cropping of branches and stem. The minimum should be to the last 3 side branches but sometimes even they may have too much leaf for the roots to support. Therefore you nick those individually as they appear to close up longitudinally. That way you don't take off unnecessary life. I'm sorry I didn't join the forum earlier, I hate to see bamboo die like that, it takes so much effort to dig these species.
Were the markings on your bamboo scars or patterns?

[Mark Meckes]

paulineisaachsen wrote
> The thing that would have saved your little bamboo would have been a severe cropping of branches and stem.

Hi Pauline and thanks for pointing this out. The ratio of top growth to root/rhizome mass and vitality, (including age of rhizome and remaining vigour/ viable rhizome buds) plays a big part in the future life of the culm as an independent creature.

If bamboo needs to be `heavily' propagated, ie, a lot of starts made from a limited amount of rhizomes, or if the plant needs to be `down-sized' or containerized, then substantially more top growth will need to be removed to balance with the hopefully living breathing drinking rhizome/root mass.

On the subject of species ID...

I'm still not convinced that this is a P. aurea, as the nodes look more pronounced in
this picture (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=187) of the culm stem of your potted bamboo...
Take a pic when new shoots emerge (probably within a couple months?), and we'll know for sure then...
Here's the Bamboo Flora gallery of Phyllostachys aurea (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=503)
(...more bamboo ID pics coming... too busy right now...)

...The other thing is the longer internode length further up the stem, which doesn't jive with "my aurea".

However juvenile bamboo can look quite different to mature, established bamboo.

Guess #1 Phyllostachys aureosulcata ...
Is the groove part of the culm a lighter yellow?
(more noticeable in younger culms)

If your rhizome does not rot and has viable buds, it could still sprout new shoots in spring.

Mark

[Mark Meckes]

Hi VivaLaBamboo, shoots must be rising on your bamboo. Did you get a confirmation on this species, or take a closeup pic of a shoot, sheaths intact?

Mark