Mark Meckes
17th July 2006, 05:13 PM
The flowering cycle, or frequency of flowering, and the duration of the flowering period, and the affects of flowering on the health and vigor of the plant varies with each species of bamboo.
With some species, the redirection of energy to produce flowers and in some cases seeds causes an early demise or shortened life-span of the flowering culm. Some species are not greatly affected, and continue to thrive, while others decline in size and culm quality during the flowering period and may die outright., or the planting may gradually make a come-back following the flowering period.
Some species cultivars revert to their species form.
Some species rely on regeneration from seeds produced during flowering to produce the next generation of plants, and the older flowering generation dies after flowering.
Some species produce little or no viable seeds during flowering.
Flowering of bamboo impacts the plant and people in different ways:
- Loss of species diversity if the plant dies and is not replaced, and also a possibility for the regeneration of new seedling variants produced from seed stock.
- Nursery growers can be affected by plant nursery stock that is unsuited for sale during the flowering phase.
- Landscapers and homeowners can be affected by installing flowering bamboo that requires more maintenance and removal of flowered/died culms, or may require replacement of the plant.
- Artisans, crafters, farmers, plantation owners / pole, food-shoot produce suppliers can be affected by the loss of investment, or decline of income resulting during the flowering period.
The flowering cycles and effects of flowering for most species of bamboo are, with some exception, not very well documented or easy to find on the internet or through publications, are often outdated, incomplete or provide contrary information.
Info is often obtained second hand, passed on by word of mouth or from historical accounts not easily verifiable.
Other problems include;
- Language barriers
- Species name changes, and the resultant use of different names for the same species grown in different location.
- Vast geographic distribution, with many species natural distribution limited to localized regions.
- The possibility of variations within the species that may bear different cyclic 'time clocks' for flowering, and the propagation and unknown extent of distribution of these species.
- Many species have not been been given any attention, with the exception for some, in localized regions and uses.
However due to a fairly recent upsurge of interest in the growing of bamboo for horticultural, agricultural, arts and craft and construction uses etc, in culmjunction with recent internet technologies that enable individuals from around the world to exchange information, we hope that we can play a small role by at least providing a platform with which we can attempt to piece together the puzzling mysteries of this amazing group of plants.
As such, welcome to this forum dedicated to Flowering Bamboo.
With some species, the redirection of energy to produce flowers and in some cases seeds causes an early demise or shortened life-span of the flowering culm. Some species are not greatly affected, and continue to thrive, while others decline in size and culm quality during the flowering period and may die outright., or the planting may gradually make a come-back following the flowering period.
Some species cultivars revert to their species form.
Some species rely on regeneration from seeds produced during flowering to produce the next generation of plants, and the older flowering generation dies after flowering.
Some species produce little or no viable seeds during flowering.
Flowering of bamboo impacts the plant and people in different ways:
- Loss of species diversity if the plant dies and is not replaced, and also a possibility for the regeneration of new seedling variants produced from seed stock.
- Nursery growers can be affected by plant nursery stock that is unsuited for sale during the flowering phase.
- Landscapers and homeowners can be affected by installing flowering bamboo that requires more maintenance and removal of flowered/died culms, or may require replacement of the plant.
- Artisans, crafters, farmers, plantation owners / pole, food-shoot produce suppliers can be affected by the loss of investment, or decline of income resulting during the flowering period.
The flowering cycles and effects of flowering for most species of bamboo are, with some exception, not very well documented or easy to find on the internet or through publications, are often outdated, incomplete or provide contrary information.
Info is often obtained second hand, passed on by word of mouth or from historical accounts not easily verifiable.
Other problems include;
- Language barriers
- Species name changes, and the resultant use of different names for the same species grown in different location.
- Vast geographic distribution, with many species natural distribution limited to localized regions.
- The possibility of variations within the species that may bear different cyclic 'time clocks' for flowering, and the propagation and unknown extent of distribution of these species.
- Many species have not been been given any attention, with the exception for some, in localized regions and uses.
However due to a fairly recent upsurge of interest in the growing of bamboo for horticultural, agricultural, arts and craft and construction uses etc, in culmjunction with recent internet technologies that enable individuals from around the world to exchange information, we hope that we can play a small role by at least providing a platform with which we can attempt to piece together the puzzling mysteries of this amazing group of plants.
As such, welcome to this forum dedicated to Flowering Bamboo.