Help Identify? (Bambusa species)

[Maxim]

Was "given" this unruly patch of grass. Owner said he thought it is a variety of multiplex. Seems like it must be about 50 ft tall.

[Mark Meckes]

Phew what a gift! Nice pics!
It appears too tall for Bambusa multiplex which is only supposed to get to about 25ft (7.6M) tall : Culm diameter - 1.5" (3.8cm)

One possibility may be Bambusa textilis which can get around 40ft (12.2M) tall, with culms about 2" (5.2cm) diameter.

Can you get a measurement on maximum culm diameter, also longest internode length, when you get a chance?

Another facet about B.textilis is that a little way up the culm it has fairly thin culm walls, thus it's reputation for making good splitting materials and origin of it's common name - Weavers Bamboo

Mark

[tharlow]

They can get pretty massive and are fairly common in FL. According to species table up to 55' ht x 2.3" diam down to 21 F.

Once fully established in the ground, bellying is not obvious.

Compare your plant's leaves, branches and shoots with established plants of known identity at a nearby botanical garden.

-- Tom

[Maxim]

Helpful as always. Node spacing is about 9" towards the base for the first few feet, then seems about 15". Diameter 2". I can check better tomorrow when I'm there. I'm getting these measurements from the one I brought home, in pieces, cause I can only fit so much length in my van.
After I told her that I'd cut down all I could take for free, she said she paid $200 the last time to have someone haul it to the dump!
I mentioned the rhizome barrier and she was into it. Bamboo is already starting to pay off for me!
Keep up the good work and thanks again.

[Mark Meckes]

> I mentioned the rhizome barrier and she was into it.

For a vigorous clumper, I don't think a rhizome barrier will do much to keep it from spreading outwards.(unless a major concrete re-enforced barrier was installed.
In nature, a clumper exhausts it's inner core, spreads outwards gradually and becomes multiple clumper.
It's quite a challange to keep a clumper of this stature from wandering.

Phewy! From the pics you showed, you have quite a job just to get access into that clump to remove some of the old cutt-off stubs!
From the few times I've had to deal with a clumper, getting all scratched up and into contorted positions just trying to get into the core of the clump, I thank my lucky stars that most bamboo species I work from are `my open' about their disposition.
However once the hard work of revitalizing a clumper is accomplished, and the culms are accordingly thinned out, managing and accessing gets easier.

If the clump is strongly arching, then as Tom said, it may well be Bambusa tuldoides `Ventricosa'.
Are the culms distinctively wobbly, ie, lacking much straightness?
It shouldn't be too long now till new shoots begin to appear, and we should be able to get a better handle on this bamboo.

All the best with your venture!
Mark

[tharlow]

I've seen one in Miami crack through a 4 inch concrete planter. You're better off planting where you have room. You can thin out and remove shoots where you don't want them, but putting a neat little barrier up won't do much for you except to demarcate you boundary. Realize it's a big plant, give it room, and groom it if you like. You've seen its natural tendency.

--Tom