Oldhamii's "Buddha Belly"

[CaroleMeckes]

There is a beautiful clumping specimen at the Taniguchi Oriental Garden at Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin, TX.

The plant was originally labeled Bambusa ventricosa (Buddha Belly), but various bamboo plant authorities have pointed out that they believe this plant is really Bambusa oldhamii.

I am asking for feedback and suggestions for the text of a new label which reflects the similarities of the 2 species.

The label should be "concise" and not too wordy.

I kinda like

"Oldhamii's Buddha Belly"
(common name)

Bambusa oldhamii
Maximum Height 55 feet
Maximum Diameter 4 inches
Minimum Temperature 15 degrees F
Full sun

Similarities between Bambusa olhamii and Bambusa tuldoides venticosa (BUDDHA'S BELLY), make this a challenging plant to identify.

[ROY]

Carole,

At your request, on Texasbamboo, for those who have interest in the subject, to post here, I offer the following comments.

In response to your comment: "Similarities between Bambusa olhamii and Bambusa tuldoides venticosa (BUDDHA'S BELLY), make this a challenging plant to identify.", I disagree.

B. oldhamii and B. ventricosa look very different. Specifically in reference to: Culm stance, leaves, culm sheaths--auricles, ligules, blade, "hair"--shoulders, backside, culm maximum size, nodes, etc.

For those who are interested, there are a lot of pictures of both plants at the URL's below.

(Edit - 2005 Links not working)

By using the name "Oldhamii's Buddha Belly", I think would only cause confusion. There clearly is a difference between the 2 plants.

[CaroleMeckes]

Thanks Roy,
I appreciate your opinions.
Carole

[bubbaboo]

I agree with Roy, the differences between the two varieties named is fairly easy. I am not an expert yet I can distinquish enough differences between B.Oldhamii and B. Tuldoides ventricosa "Budda's Belly" to be certain of one or the other. In fact B. Oldhamii is one of the easiest to distinquish from other Bambusa varieties.
All members of the American Bamboo Society receive the annual distribution of the plant species list. I propose that we use the nomenclature that applies to the plant., Bambusa Oldhamii.

[bamboojohn]

Hi, I have to agree with Roy as well. Labeling a bamboo by the correct taxonomy is very good, I think labeling it with the common name of a different variety would only perpetuate confusion.

Although I have to admit at last year's festival, Everyone came up from the oriental garden buying up all my ventricosa I had for sale thinking they would get huge leaves and 3-4 inch canes!!!!! I felt I misled plant buyers when Richard Waldron made me go look at the plant on Sunday, I didn't feel very honest about what plant buyers thought they were buying which is why I brought it up to Mark and Carole in the first place.

The plants are very different in so many aspects, I think it would be best just to label the plant what it is "Bambusa Oldhamii- Giant Timber Bamboo". I don't see a reason to include Oldham's bamboo as it would be redundant.

[bamboojohn]

Oh, please look at the photos on our website!

Ventricosa:

http://www.bambootexas.com/Ventricosa.htm

Oldhamii:

http://www.bambootexas.com/Oldhamii.htm

In fact the photo of Oldhamii in the bottom right corner is Roy's!

[CaroleMeckes]

We will just have a plain simple sign. I think the current sign just says the species name. We've all learned quite a bit!

I wonder how Bambusa oldhamii and Bambusa tuldoides
ventricosa , (BUDDHA BELLY) compare as craft materials.

We sure would like to have a harvested piece of BUDDHA BELLY to do explore...

Does any one have some harvested pieces for craft work?

Carole

[Mark Mortimer]

There is a lot of Oldhamii in New Zealand. It is used to good effect for windbreaks, being very tall and erect, it doesn't take up much wide in a field.
I have some growing in my garden. For my work, I mainly use the Phyllostachy genus, but am looking for uses for oldhami. I am about to begin a small scale building using oldhami, for which I think it's idealy suited. Cusak in Australia has used it for this too.
The disadvantages of it are the amount of branching, nearly all the way down the culm, a lot of waste to get rid of or use, and difficult to cut of and not leave a know or sharp bit.
But interested to see what people are using it for.
Cheers, Mark

[ROY]

Mark,

The low branching issue reminds of some of the discussions on the old IBG. In Florida, large oldhamii culm don't have lower branches:

The absence of lower branching means less material to use in culm cutting propagation, but I'll take the absence of the lower branching for beauty sake.

My experieces with oldhamii, in Florida, is that almost all of the culms crack when they dry. I've tried several techniques and haven't been able to get it to dry without cracking.

Ventricosa will get a little over 3 inches size in Florida, but generally doesn't crack much. You are probably not familiar with the term "Florida Cracker", but I think it must have originated with drying Florida oldhamii culms.

Roy Rogers
Tampa, Florida


Originally posted by Mark Mortimer
There is a lot of Oldhami in New Zealand. It is used to good effect for windbreaks, being very tall and erect, it doesn't take up much wide in a field.
I have some growing in my garden. For my work, I mainly use the Phyllostachy genus, but am looking for uses for oldhami. I am about to begin a small scale building using oldhami, for which I think it's idealy suited. Cusak in Australia has used it for this too.
The disadvantages of it are the amount of braching, nearly all the way down the culm, a lot of watse to get rid of or use, and difficult to cut of and not leave a know or sharp bit.
But intersted to see what peolpe are using it for.
Cheers, Mark

[Mark Mortimer]

Hi Roy, Your photos are interesting. They look a lot different to our Oldhamis. I'll try to up load a photo. In fact I just have, but can't put a link in as it is "pending aproval". It should be in my gallery under bamboos. Subject Bambusa oldhamii
What do you think?
AS I've never really used oldhamii, I don't know about the cracking but it can't crack too much in certain conditions. The photos in Cusack's "Bamboo World" show oldhami being used in a building under construction in Australia, and they are in good condition.
Cheers, Mark

[ROY]

Mark,

I've looked on this site and your site and I can't find any gallery pictures of B. oldhamii. You will have to enlighten me. I've run out of places to look.

Here is a picture of B. oldhamii from NE NSW, AUSTRALIA.

(Edit: dead link / deleted)

Your oldhamii look similiar to this picture?

Roy Rogers
Tampa, FL


Originally posted by Mark Mortimer
Hi Roy, Your photos are interesting. They look a lot different to our Oldhamis. I'll try to up load a photo. In fatc I just have, but can't put a link in as it is "pending aproval". It should be in my gallery under bamboos. Subjetct Bambusa oldhami
What do you think?
AS I've never really used oldhami, I don't know about the cracking but it can't crack too much in certain cionditions. The photos in Cusack's "Bamboo World" show oldhami being used in a building under construction in Australia, and they are in good condition.
Cheers, Mark

[Mark Mortimer]

Hi Roy,
Go here:
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/505/thumbs/31Bambusaoldhamismall.jpg
Bambusa oldhamii (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=274)
It should be there
Cheers, Mark

[ROY]

Mark,

That just goes to show you there's a lot at the site I didn't even realize. I need to do some more discovering.

The picture of your oldhamii looks like oldhamii, just growing under different environmental conditions. I don't know about your climate, but in Florida, oldhamii puts up shoots at the ideal time: right in the middle of the rainy season, with all the heat and humidity humans can stand. In some other parts of the USA, they get a little rain in the Winter, and it's dry in the Summer. This seems to lead to a more compact oldhamii clump and smaller clums. And sometimes with lower branches.

The oldhamii, growing here in Florida, has relatively soft culms, with the cell tissues filled with water.

Roy Rogers
Tampa, Fl.

[Steve Carter]

Carole,

This debate has been very intersting. I am glad we are going with the plain sign with the Buddha's Belly name. I believe I read where there was going to be a work day at Zilker to spread some mulch. Due to work and distance I can't make it. What I am wondering is if there is room to plant a Buddha's Belly at the park? If so, I can bring a nice start to the Bamboo Festival and donate it to the park, even plant and water it in. This plant get big fast and spreads way out, unlike the erect Oldhamii. It would take a fair amount of room. I think folks would really enjoy the large erect culms of the Oldhamii compared to the spreading culms of the other. I love both these plants. Let me know if it is OK and if I should bring the plant.

Steve Carter
zone 9, TX

[CaroleMeckes]

Steve,
That would be a real treat!
It would be great to have 2 specimens to compare!

We would love to have the plant, please bring it to the bamboo festival!

Thank you,
Carole

[Steve Carter]

Carole,

I will certainly bring the plant. I am still working on my schedule so I can see what I can volunteer for. See you there.

Steve Carter
zone 9, TX

[Mark Meckes]

Here's a piece of Bambusa oldhamii collected from Zilker Gardens (AustinTX) last Nov!... Reshaped to look like Buddha Belly Bamboo
http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/3013/thumbs/1030627-088F.JPG See article/pics (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1484)
Mark