Old Grove I Found in Tennessee (Phyllostachys aureosulcata)

[Wildtouch]

Here are some pics.

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/DSCF4628.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4535&cat=785) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/DSCF4620.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4533&cat=785) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/DSCF4596.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4531&cat=785) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/DSCF4594.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4529&cat=785)

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/DSCF4606.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4527&cat=785) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/DSCF4612.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4525&cat=785) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/DSCF4630.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4523&cat=785) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/DSCF4631.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4521&cat=785)

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/DSCF2790.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4517&cat=785) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/copyDSCF2791.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4516&cat=785) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/copyDSCF2787.JPG (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4515&cat=785)

[Mark Meckes]

Wow! What A jungle! Cool! :cool:
The first pic looks like Phyllostachys aureosulcata (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=520) - Yellow Groove Bamboo

Bamboo culms in a big ole grove like this looks different than a smaller grove getting full exposure to the sun.
The first clue was the faint yellow stripe alternating on different sides up the culm internode.
The reason it's called "Yellow Groove" is because further up where the branching begins, the groove, called a sulcus should be a yellowish color.
'Yellow Groove' = aureosulcata

However, there are other Phyllostachys species which also have a yellow groove, and to be sure I've picked the right one, check this out for me:

Phyllostachys aureosulcata culms are slightly rough to the touch.
If you slide your hand up the culm it should have a lightly rough feel, similar to rubbing your hand over very fine sandpaper.
If you slide your hand down the culm it should be smoother.

The surface is coated with a very fine crystaline scale-like structure.
This can be polished off, and often mature wind whipped culms exposed to sun etc become smoother with age

Let me know what you think.

-------
These 2 pics have me a little culmfused, whether it's the same or another Phyllostachys species.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/copyDSCF2791.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4516&cat=785) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/785/thumbs/DSCF2790.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4517&cat=785)

The culm internodes in those pics appear closer spaced.
Sometimes these irregularities will occur in a species, sometimes not.
If you could check the grove sometime and see if all these culms have the faint yellow streak on the culm internode.
If not, this could have been a mixed planting.

Cheers,
Mark

[Wildtouch]

Hi Mark,
Just got done feeling the boo and yes it has a slight rough feel more like velvet, rub up you feel it rub down less noticiable. Most of the sulcus are yellow in color. Several of the culm have a zig-zag to the culm, from the root to about 3 to 4 feet high then straighten.

I was wondering if the shoots of this boo are edible. If so how should I get a culm, root ball or advise of starting a planting from this grove to my home.

Will try to get more photos of all angles of this grove before it is dozed down. (pics added in first post)

Thank you for all your help.
Tim

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Tim, Great pics!
It's probably quite likely that this is a single species.
Sometimes portions of a grove will revert to an all green form - Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Alata'

A bit of history ...
Phyllostachys aureosulcata - Yellow Groove Bamboo was obtained at Tang-si, Chekiang Province, China by Frank N. Meyer and introduced into the USA in 1907 (at the old USDA Introduction Station at Savannah, Georgia).

In the 1920's this bamboo was introduced to the general public through various collaborating locations as a "Stake and Forage Bamboo", and as a good all-round bamboo as a "farm usage crop".
Additionally this bamboo was selected for it's high quality edible shoots.

As a result this is one of the more widely distributed Phyllostachys species in the US and is more common in northern locations as it is quite cold hardy in temperate regions.

... how should I get a culm, root ball or advise of starting a planting from this grove to my home?

You mentioned in one of your pics that your are having an exceptionally dry summer. Also the summer is not the best time for digging bamboo.
Early spring, or early autumn, when the weather cools and moisture returns are the best times.
However bamboo has been propagated from at all times of the year if one uses certain methodologies and is willing to baby the boo.
And of course, in your situation, it would depend how long the opportunity to get access to the grove lasts.

The ideal location for propagating material is probably at the periphery of the grove where their are smaller diameter culms.
Go after young culms because they will have the best chance of having rhizomes that are full of vitality.
Like old culms, old rhizomes also lose their viability.

If you must do it during the dry period it would benefit the plant and the digging to pre-water the bamboo to be dug in advance.
Remove any older culms and keep the rootball to one or two culms.
The most important thing is to get an intact/least disturbed rootball, otherwise you will have to remove a good portion of the culm tops to compensate for the ratio of roots.

Here's a thread discussing ... Best Time to Dig First Year Bamboo (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2582)
... with some digging tips.

Mark