Mark Meckes
27th December 2003, 05:21 AM
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/515/thumbs/1Mvc-086f.jpg
Phyllostachys heteroclada see larger pic (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=573) (Previously known as ... Phyllostachys purpurata `Straightstem')
Photo - late spring, (May2001) prior to new shoot emergence - NE Pennsylvania, USA
Culms darkened from winter cold, ie bamboo frost bite.
Note heavy leaf litter as a result of annual winter defoliation because of cold.
Phyllostachys heteroclada was formerly (in the USA at least), called Phyllostachys purpurata `Straightstem'
Purple, because of the purple margins on the culm sheaths of new shoots, and `Straightstem' for the straightness of it's culms.
(What was previously thought of as the `typical' form of this species, used to be called Phyllostachys purpurata (typical).
Guess what? Now it's called Phyllostachys heteroclada`Purpurata' !!!
Oh yes, then there is `Phyllostachys heteroclada `Solidstem'...
yep, formerly known as Phyllostachys purpurata `Solidstem'
What does heteroclada mean?...perhaps `clad with two
names'? :) just kidding! Why is it called this?
Phyllostachys heteroclada (purpurata `Straightstem'), and Phyllostachys heteroclada (purpurata)`Solidstem' are very similar in appearance except the bottom few feet of P.h.`Solidstem' is solid.
The culms are mostly straight, and can get to 1 1/2 inches in dia, and 33 ft tall ( according to the American Bamboo Society Source Species List, P.h.`Solidstem' grows smaller at 18 ft 3/4"dia, however from my observations of both species growing near each other in Georgia USA, they were both growing the same (larger) size.
Here in NE Pa, USA, the Phyllostachys heteroclada species rarely get to 1 inch dia and 15 ft tall.They lose all their leaves at about 0 to -5 oF. It gets colder then that here, but they will releaf if they are in locations (microclimates) that provide some protection from the cold and wind.
They can grow in heavy soils and will tolerate damper conditions because of something to do with air canals in their rhizomes.
Their ability to grow snugly into these conditions probably also provides the rhizomes with greater protection from cold (and drought?).
New culms are covered with a smooth velvetine like surface. This wears off in the first year or so.
Where the tops have been exposed to lots of sun, wind and rubbing, the culms may be shiny. But the culms don't generally show a natural high lustre until they are crafted and polished.
Bamboo that has a low lustre culm surface can also have a tendancy to be more `absorbant' or in other words, more suseptable to changes in humidity.
After they have been initially cured, they will be able to take to the elements in their own stride, but after they have been harvested and still drying, greater care must be taken to ensure against microbiological degradation that is activated by heat and humidity, or the culms will begin to lose their strength and become more brittle.
In other words, bamboo culms with a low surface lustre that are left laying around after harvesting will deterioate faster than culms with a higher natural surface waxy lustre.
But bamboo with a lower culm surface lustre can have certain advantages for processes that possibly involve starch removal; dying/staining - surface absorbency; paper making - easier to pulp? etc.
Mark
Phyllostachys heteroclada see larger pic (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=573) (Previously known as ... Phyllostachys purpurata `Straightstem')
Photo - late spring, (May2001) prior to new shoot emergence - NE Pennsylvania, USA
Culms darkened from winter cold, ie bamboo frost bite.
Note heavy leaf litter as a result of annual winter defoliation because of cold.
Phyllostachys heteroclada was formerly (in the USA at least), called Phyllostachys purpurata `Straightstem'
Purple, because of the purple margins on the culm sheaths of new shoots, and `Straightstem' for the straightness of it's culms.
(What was previously thought of as the `typical' form of this species, used to be called Phyllostachys purpurata (typical).
Guess what? Now it's called Phyllostachys heteroclada`Purpurata' !!!
Oh yes, then there is `Phyllostachys heteroclada `Solidstem'...
yep, formerly known as Phyllostachys purpurata `Solidstem'
What does heteroclada mean?...perhaps `clad with two
names'? :) just kidding! Why is it called this?
Phyllostachys heteroclada (purpurata `Straightstem'), and Phyllostachys heteroclada (purpurata)`Solidstem' are very similar in appearance except the bottom few feet of P.h.`Solidstem' is solid.
The culms are mostly straight, and can get to 1 1/2 inches in dia, and 33 ft tall ( according to the American Bamboo Society Source Species List, P.h.`Solidstem' grows smaller at 18 ft 3/4"dia, however from my observations of both species growing near each other in Georgia USA, they were both growing the same (larger) size.
Here in NE Pa, USA, the Phyllostachys heteroclada species rarely get to 1 inch dia and 15 ft tall.They lose all their leaves at about 0 to -5 oF. It gets colder then that here, but they will releaf if they are in locations (microclimates) that provide some protection from the cold and wind.
They can grow in heavy soils and will tolerate damper conditions because of something to do with air canals in their rhizomes.
Their ability to grow snugly into these conditions probably also provides the rhizomes with greater protection from cold (and drought?).
New culms are covered with a smooth velvetine like surface. This wears off in the first year or so.
Where the tops have been exposed to lots of sun, wind and rubbing, the culms may be shiny. But the culms don't generally show a natural high lustre until they are crafted and polished.
Bamboo that has a low lustre culm surface can also have a tendancy to be more `absorbant' or in other words, more suseptable to changes in humidity.
After they have been initially cured, they will be able to take to the elements in their own stride, but after they have been harvested and still drying, greater care must be taken to ensure against microbiological degradation that is activated by heat and humidity, or the culms will begin to lose their strength and become more brittle.
In other words, bamboo culms with a low surface lustre that are left laying around after harvesting will deterioate faster than culms with a higher natural surface waxy lustre.
But bamboo with a lower culm surface lustre can have certain advantages for processes that possibly involve starch removal; dying/staining - surface absorbency; paper making - easier to pulp? etc.
Mark