highland bamboo, what is it??/Chusquea foliosa

[chiapasfix]

here is some bamboo I found growing at 2500m above sea level, in Chiapas, Mexico, near San Cristobal de Las Casas.
Never seen it before, can anybody help me identify it? Can you give me any info regarding its structural strength? I am sourcing bamboo to make several kinds of structures, from greenhouses to bike frames.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/2301/22ln8.jpg
http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/4011/20cm6.jpg}
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2765/24kt9.jpg

[BambuBota]

It looks like Chusquea foliosa from around San Cristobol las Casas. It is not a good wood quality for building. A better choice in native Mexican bamboo is Guadua paniculata from a lower elevation. Not quite as low down in Otatea fimbriata on the road up to San Cristobol from Tuxtla Gutierrez. In Veracruz state one could find Phyllostachys bambusoides and P. aurea suitable for bike frames. Might not be any in Chiapas.

[chiapasfix]

thank you bambubota!

[CaroleMeckes]

Thanks chiapasfix,
Your pictures have been added to the Bamboo Flora Gallery.
First pictures of this species!
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=821
Carole

[glenn smith]

Are the culms hollow or solid?

g.

[chiapasfix]

holow, splits easy..

[glenn smith]

from Wickapedia:

Chusquea is a genus of bamboo with about 120 species. Most of them are mountain clumping bamboos native from southern Mexico to southern Chile and Argentina. They are sometimes referred to as South American mountain bamboos. Unlike most other bamboos, the stems of these species are solid, not hollow.

I have several small Chusquea plants at home, the culms are indeed solid with pronounced nodes. To me, the photos resemble a form of Pleioblastus(I think there is a photo of my P. Simonii in the archives here...).

glenn

[ghmerrill]

Glen, I see what you mean by the photos looking like a pleo. The long narrow leaves are similar in for to many varieties of pleoblasus, however, note the way the branches spray out from the culm- many branches is a hallmark of chusquea, as well as the vining habit that these seem to have.
truly phenominal plants, I wish we could grow more of them in my climate. I am going to have to add the more cold hardy species to my collection! the one I really want is the C. delicatula, which I would love to have as a greenhouse plant, but no way can I afford the $100 price tag for a one gallon plant!

gene

[glenn smith]

I was under the impression that all chusquea had solid culms...
but I've been wrong before. ;-)
I know what you mean about pricey boos, I finally broke down
and bought a quart pot of F. nitida "Red Fountain" last year
at $79.00 for a half-gallon pot!

glenn

[ghmerrill]

HOLY COW!

I guess once you have it, it makes good trade material for other boos in the future..... as long as nothing comes along and tries to eat it! I have been fighting moles decimating some of my smaller plantings. apparently in the mole world, there is only one species that is omnivorous, and we get blessed with the stupid thing! it happens to loves chimonobambusas, as well as a few other odds and ends. time do dig bigger holes and lay down wire!

post some pics this spring of some of your plants, I would love to see what a 'red fountain' looks like!

Gene

[glenn smith]

Moles!
We got rid of a few last year by connecting a hose to a large CO2 tank, putting the hose into a tunnel and letting it trickle empty over a couple days.
I'll keep an eye on the red fountain and upload some photos of the first culms this spring.

glenn

[ghmerrill]

CO2, hmmmm, sure beats the "burried bucket" approach! too many large oak tree roots, so digging the hole was a royal pain.... however, we did keep the mole we caught for a week on the coffee table in the living room, in a fish tank full of dirt! the kids thougth that was pretty darn cool!

With our weather being warmer this last week, the ground is starting to dry out, so I am sure we will be getting a major spring invasion by more of the little suckers. I may have to have my CO2 tank filled....

thanks for the tip!