Phyllostachys aureosulcata cultivars

[Mark Meckes]

Photos at the gallery Bamboo Flora:
Phyllostachys aureosulcata (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=520) - Yellow Groove
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Alata' (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=795) - Green Groove/ Green culms - No Photos yet
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis' (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=761) - Yellow culms/ few green stripes on internodes
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Harbin' (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=601) - Yellow culms/Green furrowed internodes
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Harbin Inversa' (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=794) - Yellow culms/Fine green striping - No Photos yet
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=573) - Yellow culms/Green groove

Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' is most vibrant when the new shoots are young ...
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/medium/PaspectabilisATX050409-002.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=1326)

Mine is quite striking when the morning sun rays shine on the culms, but for the rest of the day it gets a good bit of shade which causes the culms to get a somewhat 'washed out' look as they age.
Here in central Texas it grows smaller in full sun conditions.
Perhaps in more northern locations, solarized culms might develop a more golden appearance (?), like this beautiful pic:

Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis' at Hakone Gardens:
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/789/thumbs/DSCN0934.JPG (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4595)

I've not personally seen a grove of this form:
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis'
- Culms entirely yellow except for a few vertical stripes

My P. a. 'Spectabilis', in addition to having a (sometimes partially) green sulcus, will also ocassionally have a green striping on other parts of the culm internode.

Mark

[sasa fool]

Mark, your post reminds me of an observation I have made. I suspect that environmental conditions or perhaps different clones are at work here, but I have Spectabilis planted in 5 different sites with different light conditions and none of the new culms are ever as vibrant yellow as other yellow culm species of bamboo. Both new and older culms for me generally retain a greenish cast that dilutes the yellow, and all of mine have striping both in and outside of the sulcus on most of the culms. I suspect that this is why I am not as wowed by this form as others are, the coloration is just not quite rich enough, nor as vibrant as I see in photos taken by others.

My 2 plots of Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis', plus the dozens of pots spread around in different light conditions are all extremely vibrant yellow - glowing - on the young culms, and slowly take on a hint of burgundy/orange cast. This color contrasts nicely with the dark green leaves and makes this a beautiful bamboo here.

My 2 plots of Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Harbin Inversa' have different color based on light exposure. The shadier sites are a bright lemon yellow from sheathfall while the full sun plants quickly turn the burgundy/orange hue and look quite stunning in evening light.

Robert Young which is not very rewarding to grow in my climate, turns bright yellow very quickly here in all 3 sites/light that I have it.

Semiarundinaria yashadake 'Kimmei' is bright yellow. The 2 yellow forms of Phy. vivax I have are a rich, buttery yellow, the Bambusa vulgaris 'Vittata' in a potta, has rich yellow/orange/burgundy coloration - only my Spectabilis remains flat. :mad:

[ghmerrill]

Brad,

My spectabilis shows some difference too- however I have not seen any green cast to the culms, just solid yellow by this time of year. one or two culms in the entire grove have a tiny green stripe, but mine is planted in full, unrelenting sun, all day long. I potted some this year, and have them in shade, so it will be interesting to see how they develop color wise next spring when they shoot. I think you could be correct on the differing clones, because the photos from Hakone gardens are pretty spectacular, and I have not seen anything near that in any of the spectabalis I have seen.

Gene

[ShmuBamboo]

If you are referring to the photos that I took at Hakone (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=789&ppuser=2448), I believe that the Phy. aureosulcata that I photographed was an 'Aureocaulis' and not 'Spectabilis'. No stripes on it, just plain Yellow Crookstem. Also, just to clarify, the very vivid yellow with green stripe culm photo is of Phy. vivax 'Aureocaulis', and not Phy. aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' or 'Aureocaulis'.

Also here in the PNW, we tend to get a red coloring on both types of Phy. aureosulcata. See good photos of both on the Bamboo Garden (west of Portland, OR) web sites below. Mine are rather red here as well growing in full sun. Note also that I have seen this particular grove of Spectabilis at Bamboo Garden, and it was a rather faded yellow in color by mid summer, and not nearly as vivid as the online photos show them to be.

http://www.bamboogarden.com/Phyllostachys%20aureosulcata%20'Aureocaulis'.htm

http://www.bamboogarden.com/Phyllostachys%20aureosulcata%20'Spectabilis'.htm

[Mark Meckes]

Thanks for the clarification ShmuBamboo - have corrected/edited spelling.

When yellow tinted bamboos have sunlight shining directly on them, it seems to highlight them even more.

I tried taking a pic to show the "true color" of 'Spectabilis' growing in the shade. Interestingly the late afternoon sun was rippling across portions of the culms making them glow an orange yellow while the rest of the culm surface was a dull yellow green.

1)dappled sun : 2)camera flash : 3)shade
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/thumbs/PaSpectAuTX070814-8575.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4661) ... http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/thumbs/PaSpectAuTX070814-8584.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4660) ... http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/thumbs/PaSpectAuTX070814-8576.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4659)

These older culms of P. a. 'Spectabilis' growing in full sun in Georgia have a ghostly sheen:
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/thumbs/PaSpectF11BGA050216-774.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=1718)

As mentioned, here in central Texas, in an open sunny location, P. a. 'Spectabilis' grows as a thicket of smaller culms,
... as shown with these pics at Chambers, Buckholts TX (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=573&ppuser=29)

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/thumbs/PaSpectChBTX070409-6667.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4645)

Regarding a red tint on new culms ...
In these pics it was most visible on the side getting exposure to afternoon sunlight.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/thumbs/PaSpectChBTX070409-6677.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4639) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/thumbs/PaSpectChBTX070409-6678.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4638)

It seems to disappear as the new culm hardens.

Mark

[Mark Meckes]

Just wondering.... are the P. aureosulcata and cultivars the only ones that have that rough texture to the culm, or are there others? Gene

Interesting topic! See this new thread: Culm surface textures of Phyllostachys species (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2758)
(Move posts discussing this over to this thread)

Yellow Groove Bamboo (Phyllostachys aureosulcata) can become a brilliant Groovey Yellow Bamboo when exposed to full sun, especially in full sun exposure as shown here, growing in an open field in SE Texas:

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/520/thumbs/PasulcJBNTX070604-9086.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4756)

Oddly I haven't seen the pronounced zig-zagging near the base of culms, if any, of any P, aureosulcata species/cultivars here in central/south Texas, and don't know if it has to do with the weather/soil/air temperature or available moisture during shooting.

Mark

[ghmerrill]

I am going to get some pics of a possible sport off of a friends P. aureosulcata 'Spectabilis', at least, that is the only plant in the area that could match the texture of these culms. there is a pronounced zig zag to the culm, green sulca, rough texture, but there are some culms spotted in black, similar to a P. Nigra that is coloring up. the oldest of the two culms is much more densly spotted, the younger still distincly spotted. The only other plants in the area are P. aurea, P. aurea 'koi', P. aurea 'Flavescens-inversa', P. bissetii, and Semiarundinaria yashadaki 'Kimmei'.
It caught my attention because last time I was out there, several months ago, I did not notice it, and thursday, while admiring their plants, these two culms stuck out immediately, as they have grown into the P. aurea 'koi'. the closest plant is the P. aureosulcata 'Spectabilis', and both culms are in a line as if they have grown from the same rhizome. I am going back out there next week, to take some photos.

[ShmuBamboo]

Photos. Yes, take more photos of bamboo! I always need to take more photos of bamboos. My new mantra. Along with a million others. But that reminds me that I need more memory for my digital camera, and...er, my state of mind. I swear, I hear so much when I am talking to real boo-phyles, and then I forget half of what they said, because I am taking in a million things all at once excitedly in their groves and looking at their plants. Or I start haggeling over plant prices and deciding what to buy, and I forget to take photos.... I need a better camera with optics too. I am gonna get me a high-end Nikon I think. As for my own memory, maybe I will get a personal recorder to tape the conversations with people as we go through their groves.

Also, as for this thread, I recall touching another type of Phyllostachys that was not an aureosulcata that had the rough feel to it. It was next to a stand of Phy. violascens that we were admiring. The Phy. violascens had more brown striping at the base, and more intense purple stripes higher up the culms... I want it!!!! oops, there I go again! Doh! What was the species next to that grove of violascens with eth rough texture... eesh. I cannot remember. Moso was on the other side of it, with fresh velvet culms. Cool stuff if you can get it that size.

Bamboo on the brain today...

[ShmuBamboo]

Ah ha! That was it! Phy. Mannii/decora. Yah yah yah. Felt just like Phy. aureosulcata. Reading the Phy. culm surface texture thread jagged my memory. Also Phy. harbin 'Inversa' has a grooved culm.

[ghmerrill]

shmubamboo, looks like you are in my backyard- I am in Kerby, OR.

anyway, does either of those other 'boos have a green sulca? the combo of the spots, rought texture, and green sulca throws me. It very well may be a rhizome that ended up growing there from another plant, or that got hacked and potted with the 'koi" that she has, and is now showing color and size..... pics tomorrow maybe, if I can get out there!

Gene

Update ... See:

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/thumbs/culm-view.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4863) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/thumbs/sulca-stripe.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4862) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/573/thumbs/node-close-up.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4861)

[ShmuBamboo]

Spots are funny on culms, and may or may not indicate a variety or sub-type. Sun and wind and heat and water and bugs and er, fertilizer and a lot of other stuff can create spots on culms that I have seen. I have noticed some spotting on culms of my Phy. vivax, Phy. aureosulcata Alata, and my Phy. nigras. The vivax spotting is random and seems to be scale scaring. Nigras typically have spotted culms that make them look like over-ripe banana peels. I have 3 types of black, and the Daikokuchiku (try to say that 10 times in a row!) has new green culms that are spotting up and turning black already (supposed to do that in this type). My standard black culms tend to fade yellowish and get black over-ripe banana peel spots, then turn completely black. Bory will turn spotted black on green or yellow, and stay that way. Nigras and vivax all have slick smooth culms though.

Now... what I think you may be on to is similar to my Phy. aureosulcata Alata. It is a green groove type, and has slight vertical groove color variation on the larger culms (most aureosulcatas are like that). It also has slight spotting on the old culms and sun spotting on the new growth (red color). It also has zig-zaging lower segments on the larger culms, and the slightly rough one-way culm texture. Looking it up in the ABS sourcelist, Phy. aureosulcata is called green groove type, though the groove is not really noticable against the green culms (at least on the one I have, which matches the description in several sources). It is also known as 'perkinensis'. I have Koi as well, and that is similar to golden, but grows smaller, with a brighter more outstanding yellow culm, with a green groove. Smooth textured culm, no spotting.

[Mark Meckes]

(Thread title has been changed to Phyllostachys aureosulcata cultivars to provide for a broader discussion)

A ponder ... I am presuming that the "all green form", Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Alata' would be the true species form, and if so, should it technically be called Phyllostachys alata?

Maybe it's the same situation as with the non black - Phyllostachys nigra 'Henon' where the "cart came before the horse", in that at the original naming of these species, the cultivars or forms were named first before the species were named (?)

... not that this matters so much now. The important thing is that when we are sharing info about a specific plant that we all know we're referring to the same plant.
If we had to refer to all cultivars of P. alata as ..
Phyllostachys alata 'Aureosulcata'
Phyllostachys alata 'Spectabilis' ... etc

... it would take a while to get used to it
... and would provide "job security" in the pics and posts editing department. (like, who needs more work?)
I'm just glad that many of the name haggling / changes that happened in the 80's > 90's was before the internet went into full swing.

Mark

[ShmuBamboo]

Yah, it is not unlike Henon not being the true form of Phy. nigra (double negative there, sorry). In botony, the first found is the type form and the rest are varieties. Unfortunately. Alata is green on green, so to speak. I do not know why they call it Green Stripe. After looking at the photos it seems like my backyard southern Oregon buddy (he is 150 miles south of me, BTW) has a Phy. aureosulcata. That type of spotting can be from a lot of environmental stuff here in Oregon.

The kinks are pretty typical of an aureosulcata. Even yours there in Texas are more or less typical, Mark. You have a slight bend in a few canes there. The bends are not *that* common, and not that crazy like the one I saw and photographed at Hakone (which is exactly why I took that photo). My types are more mildly bent. I find that aureosulcata also tends to have bleached out coloring, in yellow and in green. Faded colors... which I and others have mentioned before in this thread about this species of bamboo.

Back to the ID of this particular bamboo though, I would say it is most likely Phy. aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' and next likely Phy. aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis'. The faded colors, bends in the culms, rough texture, and size all point to them. If just the sulcus is green, then it is Phy. a. Spectabilis. If the stripes are more random, it is more likely Phy. a. Aureocaulis. Phy. a. Spectabilis is pretty common here in Oregon. Phy. a. Aureocaulis is less common. The sulcus colors tend to fade out on both as well. Sometimes you relly have to rub the sulcus to see the colors on these guys. And of course, since it is near a known Spectabilis, I guess it is a no-brainer.

[ShmuBamboo]

Now, I have never seen this type of bamboo, but it seems weird that Harbin inversa has no grooves. Why is it Harbin inversa if it does not have grooves??? :confused::confused::confused:

[Mark Meckes]

My 'Spectabilis', which is the only aureosulcata that I have, which has about a dozen > 1" culms and is around 4 yrs old, growing in partial shade, has no zig-zagging whatsoever. Maybe the planting needs to mature more to develop a kinky quirkiness.

But I'm still pondering the relation between the plants hydraulic system, the soil and air temperature (day and night), the soil moisture, rainfall and humidity, and whether this would cause this effect based on the plants' physical properties.

Phyllostachys auroesulcata species are one of the first to emerge in the spring.
I grew a lot of the regular Yellow Groove Bamboo up north in NE Pennsylvania, and though it emerged about 1 1/2 month later in NE PA versus here in central Texas, the general day/night climate etc at the time of emergence is warmer here in Texas.

Often many culms up north would zig ... continue to elongate, and then not be able to zag back into an upright position, as shown here:

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/520/thumbs/PasulcFRPa9805-001.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2994) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/520/thumbs/PasulcFRPa9805-002.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2993)

Many of these culms would eventually break off and these shoots would wither away.

Mark

[Mark Meckes]

Why is it Harbin inversa if it does not have grooves??? :confused::confused::confused:

Yep, I had to re-read the 2007 ABS source List description ..
"Yellow culms with fine green striping, no grooves other than the sulcus."

In other words ...

Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Harbin Inversa" has the species typical grooved sulcus, but has no pronounced groves on the internode surface as with ...
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Harbin'
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/601/thumbs/PaHarbinD2BGA050216-718.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=1577)

[ShmuBamboo]

Wow, aureosulcata does not look like the species of choice in PA. Here on the west coast there seems to be the right climate for both zig and zag.

As for Harbin inversa, yes... I think that someone had too many drinks before writing some of the descriptions in the ABS source list. Or when they came up with some of the names for these bamboos. I have to look in several of my bamboo books to get a more accurate description for some bamboos. Like for Henin. No one lists it as having yellow culms, except the Book of Bamboo. Farrelly has grown bamboos all over the world though, so it seems that he has a better overall perspective. Unfortunately he does not have a very detailed list of sub-types of species in his book though, and no photos.

Here in the PNW, many green culm types turn yellow in full sun, and many yellow culm types turn red in full sun. Few books or source lists mention this at all. I have never seen any mention of aureosulcata bending over like your photos in PA, and not zagging back to an upright position. Strange too that more information is not available on Phy. aureosulcata, as it was the second most common bamboo introduced into the US in volume, after Phy. aurea. It seems that 90% of the data for bamboos comes from growing bamboo in the south in the early part of the last century. Not much new data is available except at some nurseries and online posted stuff like on this forum.

[ShmuBamboo]

Best I could dig up on Harbin inversa is this from the Bamboo Garden web site. ( http://www.bamboogarden.com/Phyllostachys%20aureosulcata%20'Harbin%20Inversa'.htm ) Note that it is not a reversion of Harbin, so it does not revert to Harbin nor did it come from it. Seems even odder to me as to why the name was given to it. :cool:

"This newly discovered form is bright yellow with multiple random narrow green stripes on the culm. Like all forms of Phyllostachys aureosulcata it has many culms with sharp bends near the base but is very erect and makes a good hedge or screen. Also like other yellow forms of Phyllostachys aureosulcata this bamboo will turn a beautiful orange-magenta when exposed to bright sun for a period while the new culms are hardening in the early summer. Not a sport of ‘Harbin’, this bamboo does not have the multiple vertical ridges characteristic of that plant."

[sasa fool]

While some Harbin Inversa culms have no vertical grooves, others can have some degree of thin vertical grooves but these are not nearly as pronounced as on straight Harbin. If you feel the culms, you can detect a faint groove on some, they remain rough on the upscrape. Some culms are yellow with no green stripes, others have faint very thin green stripes, a few will have wide green stripes, I think there is a picture of one on my site with the wide stripes.

For me the Phy. aureosulcata forms do not zig zag until the grove begins to mature, then the number goes up quite noticeably.

[Mark Meckes]

Farrelly has grown bamboos all over the world though, so it seems that he has a better overall perspective.
I don't know how much David Farrelly/Book of Bamboo was/is involved in growing/ utilizing bamboo. A lot of the info in the book about bamboo is extracted from various publications made prior to that print.
He's a very talented writer and this book is a great read.

The thing is that despite bamboo's relatively miniscule presence in "western" academia, education and research ... It is because of it's growing horticultural popularity, the diversity of available species, the potential and interest in it's myriad of uses, the advent of the internet, and individuals sharing observations that makes bamboo a subject of such "endearing quality". :)

... Back to topic ... sort of
Phyllostachys aureosulcata would be in the same grouping of species in this genus that have lightly groovey internode surfaces, as shown in this pic of a young culm, if viewed large:
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/520/thumbs/PasulcJBNTX070604-9092.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=4753)

This groovyness appears to become a little more pronounced as the culm hardens and it is more noticeable on larger culms.

Regarding P. a. 'Harbin', I (vaguely) remember somthing about Chris DeRosa of New England Bamboo who found this plant around the late 1980's growing in an obscure plot at the USDA Maryland Research station that had a label affixed nearby with 'Harbin' on it, and as such this is why 'Harbin' was named as the cultivar. (?)

Harbin is a large city in China ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbin

inverse
Opposite in order, relation, or effect; reversed; inverted - Websters Dictionary

[ShmuBamboo]

Amusing. I had heard that it was a recently found type. Though... is it a mutation, sport, or variation? If so, it is a single unique form. Supposedly there have been no other reversions from it or to it in the P. a. harbin line. And as it (the plant) is now spreading worldwide, it is amusing how a single plant can be cloned and replicated so fast in 20 some odd years time. While it is still rare, it is available.

Funny too, I was never that impressed with the Phy. aureosulcata species, until I bought two types earlier this year. Now I am becoming an 'expert' on them. I was written up in the Sunday paper in Eugene last Sunday, for selling garlic at a local and small wine and garlic festival. Somehow I was listed as an 'expert in garlic', though I never said I was. I only grow 40 of the 150 types known.... hardly an expert. I just know how to grow it and where most of it came from. And how to cook with it. *shrug* :rolleyes:

[Mark Meckes]

Garlic is an excellent addition to shoot dishes and P. aureosulcata shoots are very tasty!
Here's a new carreer opportunity for you as an expert in culminary cuisine.

Do post your shoot recipes in the Bamboo as a food source (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=156) Forum
I've only tried a few allium species and I am culmfident that you could write volumes on their distinct flavor imparting - boo shoot enhancing qualities. :)

Regarding P. a. 'Harbin' ...
...it is amusing how a single plant can be cloned and replicated so fast in 20 some odd years time.

This photo was taken about a dozen years after 2 propagules were planted in this 16ft X 24ft plot (surrounded by a concrete barrier) and left pretty much untouched during this period:
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Harbin' - PI#546939 Plot D2, Febuary 2005, USDA ARS Byron GA USA
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/601/medium/PaHarbinD2BGA050216-714.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=1574) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/601/thumbs/PaHarbinD2BGA050216-716.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=1576)

Imagine what one could do with serious rhizo-propagation in mind. :eek: