Is there a bamboo that takes 5 years before first shoots

[scottchapin]

Is there a type of bamboo that takes 5 years before it ever comes up but then grows tremendously fast?
Thanks.

[Mark Meckes]

Hi,
Yes, a running bamboo that was planted on a neighbors property 5 years ago that has finally reached your property and is growing very fast. ;)

Can you provide more details?

Mark

[scottchapin]

Hi,
I heard a story about a type of bamboo that you plant and have to water it nearly everyday for five years before it sprouts but then it grows like 100 feet in a year. Just wanted to know if the story is true. Got any ideas?
Thanks

[Mark Meckes]

The only similar story that I'm familiar with is the one about 'Jack and the Beanstalk', but if I remember correctly, Jack planted the beans, went to bed, and overnight the beanstalk had grown up to the clouds. ;)

No, bamboo grows new shoots annually.
This growth generally takes place during a certain period, for a couple of months during the year. The main shooting season varies with species, depending also whether it's a tropical or temperate species etc.

If one starts off with a small plant, the canes, called culms, are relatively small.
All growth takes place over a period of a couple of months or so. After this, these culms do not get any larger in diameter or taller in height, and the only new growth these culms produce in following years are side branches and new leaves. Eventually these culms die, being replaced by new generations of culms.
Each following year, under good growing conditions, the bamboo planting will grow new shoots which will grow larger and taller.
It can take up to 10+ years for the bamboo planting to reach full maturity, in which the new culms produced for the season will grow to their largest height and diameter.
Someone, forgot who, measured the growth of Phyllostachys edulis, ...
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/528/thumbs/PedAvLA050225-675.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2130)
...and under ideal conditions, at it's fastest growth stage, it measured almost 2" per hour, 4ft per day
When a shoot emerges, it's upward daily growth is slow, and gradually picks up speed. At mid height, it's daily growth is the fastest, then it gradually decreases upward growth as it begins to reach it's full height.

Mark