Bamboos

[johnw]

Anyone on the forum growing bamboos, especially in cool summer climates?

Just got Borinda yulongshanensis and B. maclureana and wonder about others' experiences with this or any of the very tall bamboos - the civilized ones, of course.

johnw

[kindredspiritkevin]

Well, I have

Phyllostachys Aureocaulis
Phyllostachys Vivax
Phyllostachys Bissetti
Pseudosasa Japonica
I had Thamnocalamus Spathiflorus Aristatus but it flowered last year
Bambusoides Castillon
Semiarundinaria Fastuosa
Chimonobambusa Tumidissinoda
Himanobambusa Tranquillans Shiroshima

Borindas that were grown locally near here didn't survive the two bad winters that we had, where temperatures fell to minus 14°C.

Two of mine that were in pots just about survived but have made little headway since. They are Shiroshima  and Tumidissinoda.

The best behaved is Castillon. Very impressive bamboo.

[johnw]

Kevin - better get out a new label as Chimonobambusa Tumidissinoda is now the unpronounceable Qiongzhuea timidissinoda.  Apparently it is not very hardy at all.  When it was first introduced it was heralded as a Fargesia, the Trumpet Bamboo which is a perfect description - two trumpets kissing.

So the others fared well at -14c?

We saw a Borinda at Helen Dillon's which we thought was B. albocera. It was exquisite with sky blue powdery canes. Researching it it too was said to be too tender, at least for here.  B. maclureana will be tested but we were told the B. yulongshanensis was very hardy as it was collected 13,800ft.  Still rare over here and a one gallon cost about the same as a monthly car payment. I'll bulk it up before trial by fire or, ice I should say.  Which Borinda species were killed there at -14c?

Thanks for your input.

johnw  - +17c, a very warm spring this year and watering like mad.

[ashley]

Kevin, here about 20 km inland Qiongzhuea tumidissinoda came though the last two winters without any problem but might be more vulnerable if not established.

That Borinda ?albocera in Helen Dillon's garden sounds amazing John.

[johnw]

Ashley - The Qiongzhuea tumissinoda is quite something. Here's a picture for all on a website called Turning Scotland Tropical! I bet they had a bit of a setback in 2011 with that mandate.

http://www.scottishbamboo.com/images/Chimonobambusa%20tumidissinoda.jpg  Good to hear Kevin may have a chance with it outdoors.  They reckon around -12/-14c to be its limit.

The Borinda at Dillon's was one plant I really wanted to photograph but the sun went down.  The culms were about the size shown here:

http://www.bambooweb.info/images/bamboo/Borinda-albocera66.jpg

johnw

[Brian Ellis]

I like the knobbly knees on the Qiongzhuea tumissinoda

[johnw]

I like the knobbly knees on the Qiongzhuea tumissinoda

Brian - It's up there with those surreal plants like Calceolaria 'Walter Shrimpton' don't you think?

johnw

[Brian Ellis]

Yes I am sure Dali would have wanted them in a garden.

[kindredspiritkevin]

So the others fared well at -14c?

Which Borinda species were killed there at -14c?

johnw  - +17c, a very warm spring this year and watering like mad.

Sorry John, I don't know which species of Borinda bit the dust. The culms were very thick and blue, that's all I know.

All my other bamboos in the ground, apart from the two species mentioned that were in pots, did OK at minus 14°C. Although a lone Phyllostachys Aurea in a pot suffered badly as well: it's still alive but not flourishing. Pots are bad news for Bamboos at low temperatures. 

[kindredspiritkevin]

Kevin, here about 20 km inland Qiongzhuea tumidissinoda came though the last two winters without any problem but might be more vulnerable if not established.

The unpronouncable Q. T. specimens that were planted in the ground at Peter Stam's shrugged off the very low winter temperatures.

Pots are bad news for Boos at very low temperatures.