Bambusa ventricosa Budda belly

[bambooweb]

I agree with needmore that Vivax would be a disappointment. I had only been able to get 4' out of mine until this year. Last year I dug some big divisions from a yard where it was being removed. The largest one required two people to lift the rootball but this year it sent up shoots over 6 feet tall. I don't know how it will do after it gets established.

Here I would add P. rubromarginata to needmore's list but I have noticed that plants do not grow the same where I am compared to your side of the country where you get summer rain and humidity.

Bill

[jordanM]

ok, i guess ill just stick with the midsize bamboo maybe later they will make a winter hybrid of vivax that would be cool.

[Bamboo4me]

My Bambusa toldo. ventricosa 'Kimmeii' went nuts when it hit the ground. I had at most a 1/2 inch budda bulb. Although this was a 15 or 20 gallon with about 20 canes. I put it in the ground and have 10 shoots over an inch and a quarter. They are all pink with the 3 giant brnaches coming out. I should take pictures. Budda is gone and they are going for the 45 foot mark. Keep them potted for the effect. Let's see next year??

[Bamboo4me]

So Bamboo Sourcery list it as 18 degrees. I know that Lakes Nursery where I got this probably got down that low during this plants life in a pot.
So I'm hoping it survives a little lower where i am now. Especially being in the ground. It seems to really like my clay loam soil. The only 2 that haven't taken off are the Moso (understandable due to the low humidity and high temps) My Ph. nigra Othello has sort of hung out, but i put in anothe big clump out of a 30 gallon that seems to be happy already in 1 month. ????
Should I fertilize this late, for winter rhizome growth? last year my Ph. Bambusoides scared me. I'm prepared this year, but it might be the last of it's free growth days!

[Spectabilis]

jordanM

Where are you located? I am just north of South Bend IN,(Buchanan MI.) I am adding P. rubromarginata (which I believe will do best!) to my collection. I only have a few in the ground. Yellow groove does really good along with my favorite Spectabilis. I have not tried the others that needmore mentioned. I am contanatly looking for new one's to dig or someone nice enough to get me started with a division!!!

[Bamboo4me]

Hey Brian,
Look at the identification link. I just posted a Sasella Masamuneana Aureostriata ?? I think. I'll send you some of this if you send a Rubro. (They are good eating I believe?) that's my new collection. (eaters) Anyone have good experience with the different eating varietes?
Henon is very good. Going for Dolcis and Atro vaginata. Plus the other 25 or so I have already. Or anyone closer.? I'll stil send you one Brian.
Looking for eaters!
This should grow fine in your area. It gets down to zero.
Ken

[jordanM]

Hi Bryan,
I live in Standish about 25 miles north of bay city.

I just got a rubro and specatabilis but was looking for somthing a little taller in height.

[Spectabilis]

Yeah, we are a little bit handicaped with our climate. At least we have a handfull of boos that we can grow. If you keep your eyes open, you will be suprised what you might find in your area. I have found in my county at least 5 palces that are activley growing 4 different types. One I know is yellow groove and the 3 other different ones I am not sure of. One lady said it was P. Nigra but it was all green and I was under the impression that it would be top killed each year here. She says it is evergreen and pretty hardy. So I don't know. The other I have tried to identify with no success. I think that the other one is P. Rubro but not sure on that either. Cool stuff though!!!

[jordanM]

Where did you get the plants that you got from?

[Spectabilis]

Where did you get the plants that you got from?

Two of the places locally have let me dig from their groves. The others I have gotten from the side of the interstate in KY just south of Cincinnati on I-71. The others I got from VA, Mississippi and Tennessee. You should have see us driving from MS to MI with 6 divisions of bamboo some of which were 24' long!!!

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[bepah]

I can tell you care. So few people carry their baby boos in baby carriage....

[Bamboo4me]

I was wondering how you clumper growers dig these beasts out. I got my Textilis chunk out, but it took nearly 2 hrs to cut through the root mass and pry it out.
I had super sharp 40 lb roofing bar, a pointed shovel that I sharpened multiple times to razor sharp, a saw and it was still a bear to get a 4 culms chunk. Which weighed about 75 lbs+. It came off a plant that was probably 6-7 feet across at the base with 100 - 2 inch culms tightly packed. I had to cut about 12 out to get access to the back of where I wanted to dig(cut into the rhizome mass) Should have seen me driving up Hwy 80 with a 20+ footer hanging out the back of my truck. People would drive right up under it. (wrapped in White plastic so I didn't get the green house effect.)
I see Roy transplanting chunks, so there must be an easier way. The Guys at Bamboo Soucery use carbide chains on the chain saws and just cut perfect squares right into the dirt and rhizome mass. But those chains cost a bunch and your bar is toast after a while.
Unless you know someone in the CDF(CA Dept of Forestry) Fire fighters have carbide chains. They can't have a dull chain after hitting soil out on the fire lines. They gave a slightly used chain to a friend but he couldn't find it for my use. (Or didn't want to. Can't blame him)

[jordanM]

Wow, thats one long load spectabilis.

I havent found anywhere to get bamboo that is really close to me but im keeping my eyes open.

[stevelau1911]

Tropical clumpers should be able to survive in a zone 5 or 6 given the ground temperature stays about 40degrees due to snow cover. It should get completely top killed but its worth a try. Probably no one has ever tried some species of tropical clumpers in the north considering how many species there are.

I'd be pretty happy if I can get a dendrocalamus to size up here in zone 6 after a winter.

Flashburn, I suspect the Buddha Belly may survive your winters, it does seem to be pretty tuff. Though I'm not sure how it would look in the Spring.

I have been testing one in Zone 5b/6a to see how it handles the Southern Indiana winters. So far it did get set back by its first winter, but it looks surprisingly good at the moment. It will be interesting to see if it sizes up next Spring.

I have a suspicion that there are a number of genetically different B. ventricosa in the U.S. with differing Hardiness.

[David]

Bryan,

I have saved out 3 nice Rubro FS for you if we can ever connect.

What clumper is Brad (Needmore) growing? He would probably be a good source of info on climate challenged clumpers (CCC).

Regards- David