Bamboo statistics

Discussion in 'Outdoor Gardening in the Pacific Northwest' started by BloomBamboo, Dec 13, 2010.

  1. BloomBamboo

    BloomBamboo Member

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    Hi Everybody,

    I am doing a study on bamboo in Canada and would like to know if there is anyone that would be willing to contribute their own statistical data on bamboo? This has to be from your personal growing experience. I would like to know:

    1.) Species you are growing
    2.) Max culm diameter for that specie
    3.) Max height for that specie
    4.) Hardiness for that specie

    My only requirement is that your bamboo is planted in the ground and of course you are from Canada. I can only use data from bamboo in the ground as this will give the most accurate statistics.

    Any info would definitely be appreciated!!! Thank You everybody in advance!!!
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Botanical note: "specie" is not a word. It's always "species".
     
  3. fridgidbamboo

    fridgidbamboo Member

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    Good idea. I'm in zone 5 and I want to do some testing here on bamboos that are supposed to survive -25 degrees celcius. I have 4 in the gound and it is their first winter. I intend to try over 15 new varieties in 2012. I'll keep you posted on my results. I hope that more bambou enthousiasts will join your project and we could gather much info. This could help in our own tests.
     
  4. Lysichiton

    Lysichiton Active Member

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    How about statistics on how hard it is to get rid of, after it takes over your property?
    My stats - 5 years, 1 pint of Roundup (Bamboo treats this as a growth stimulant), 3 firestarters where I burnt clipppings over the culms (some bamboos seem to be a fire-tolerant & appreciate the released nutrients), 1 broken pickaxe handle & several trips to the chiropractor.

    ...cynical ex-bamboo-owner in BC Canada.
     
  5. fridgidbamboo

    fridgidbamboo Member

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    I am not afraid of the bamboos becoming out of control because in zone 5, the climate is so harsh that the bamboos won't increase much in size. I won't even bother installing barriers. I just cross my fingers hoping to see my bamboos increase a little bit in size. We'll see.
     
  6. kevind76

    kevind76 Active Member

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    Which kinds do you have? I too, and trying Bamboo, in Winnipeg, and have overwintered a Fargesia rufa 'Green Panda' with lots of cover. We had a bad summer last summer, so it didn't grow much, but otherwise, seems to be doing well. I have it in a pot, so that I can move it to a sheltered spot for the winter.
     
  7. fridgidbamboo

    fridgidbamboo Member

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    I grow Phyllostachys bissetii and rubromarginata, and fargesia robusta and rufa. It is their first winter so I don't know how they will fare. Fargesia robusta is not expected to survive here and I made a mistake when I ordered it. Try Fargesia nitida, murielae and juizhaigou, and phyllostachys nuda, nuda 'localis' and bissetii. These seem to be the most cold hardy. Winnipeg is very cold in winter but I found in the internet one guy in Wisconsin who grows several bamboos. He bents them to the ground and covers them with mulch/tarp. Anyway, they don't grow large there. I protect my bamboos with loose maple leaves. We'll see in spring what it does. When they will grow larger, I will simply mulch them and tight the culms together with rope (or else) in order to avoid the culms from bending to the ground and get in the way of the driveway/sidewalk/street under the weight of snow/ice. There are good exemples of this phenomenon on needmorebamboo.com in bamboo photos, then in bamboo in the snow. In spring I will order on bambooworld.com Phyllostachys atrovaginata, 5 varieties of Ph. aureosulcata, Ph. nuda, Ph. nigra 'Henon', semiarundinaria fastuosa and fastuosa 'Viridis', Fargesia 'juizhaigou' and scabrida, wich are all supposed to survive at least minus 25 degrees celcius. Also, I will order several short hardy bamboos on bonsaibc.ca, wich they lack on bambooworld.com. This winter is mild, except for one short cold snap when the temperature dropped to minus 24 degrees celcius. Typical of a zone 5 winter. Through the living room window, I can see that the Fargesia rufa's leaves are 80% dead and that the only culm that grew in august on the Phyllostachys bissetii seems rather dry... probably topkill. I don't expect the bamboos to be true runners here because the climate is harsh. I think that they will stay at their place. Keerp me posted on your trials. I will do the same.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2012
  8. kevind76

    kevind76 Active Member

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    Thanks for that info. I have seen Canada Bamboo World http://www.bambooworld.com/ online, but have not ordered from there - yet. I hadn't heard of Peninsula Flower Nursery http://bonsaibc.ca/ , but thanks for that. Looks good too. Both would be great places to visit also!

    The species you mentioned should be fully hardy in your area. If so, they should also run all over your yard. Hope that doesn't become a problem. Keep us updated on how they do for you, and I'll let you know how mine does.

    Have you also tried Palms and/or bananas? Worth a try if you are already experimenting with semi-hardy bamboos. The chance of success will be much lower, but what's gardening without experimentation?

    Good luck with your trials. Hope you can post some pics when they are looking their best.
     
  9. fridgidbamboo

    fridgidbamboo Member

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    I have spent thousands of dollars on palms trial here in zone 5. They were all planted in the ground. These include Trachycarpus fortunei, T. takil and T. wagnerianus, Chamaerops humilis normal and silver, Nanarrhops ritchiana, Sabal minor and Rhapidophyllum hystrix. They almost all died the first or second winter, the largest were all killed the first winter, suggesting a hardiness that is inferior to the small ones. 1 small Sabal minor survived 2 winters and is still alive, forgotten behind the pool. It is so small that it is covered by snow all winter. It almost didn't grow last summer. I had much more success with Rhapidophyllum hystrix (needle palm). In summer 2010, I had 4 in the ground, 1 large (650$), 1 medium (36 inches) and 2 small ones (1 foot). The largest is the only one that was planted away from the house and it died the first winter. The 3 others are planted against the house and are doing well with very little winter protection (maple leaves mulching and for the medium one burlap+polythene open on the sides). The heat from the house seems to benfit them much. I have noticed that all the parts of the leaves that are exposed to cold wind dessicate completely, while the parts that are protected remain perfectly green. They grow very slowly, suggesting that I am pushing the limit a little too much. I have also experimented a lot with cacti and succulents, hardy in zones 3 to 5 without protection of any kind. The very few that die the first year are replaced by different ones that usually do well. I planted them in a raised bed filled with plain sand ant they thrive there. I own more thant 40 species that increase much in size each year, to the point that the border becomes too crowded. They are very rewarding. They include many Opuntias, Escobaria, Echinocereus, and several kinds of chiks and hen (sempervivum). Some are expected to grow as tall as 6 feet with time. Of course, this large border is really exotic looking. I buy them all on rockgardenplants.com in BC. Some cacti grow wild in the prairies, like Opuntia fragilis and O. polyacantha. Maybe you have some growing wild in western Manitoba. Go check it out.
     
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2012

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