Attn: Bamboo Collectors

Discussion in 'Poaceae' started by BloomBamboo, Jul 26, 2008.

  1. BloomBamboo

    BloomBamboo Member

    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver
    Anybody out there that wants to sell any ornamental bamboos to me? There are two places in Canada (that I could find) that sell them. One nursery is infested with bamboo mites and the other is way overpriced. Feel free to PM me with your list. Thanks for anyone with any info.
     
  2. JCardina

    JCardina Active Member

    Messages:
    162
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Comox, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada
    What exactly are you looking for, I know of plenty of sources in Canada depending on what you're after.
     
  3. BloomBamboo

    BloomBamboo Member

    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver
    I prefer someone in the lower mainland. I am trying to find ph. vivax huangwenzhu. Wanna send me a list of places you know and i'll take care of the rest. Big thanks for your time!
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2008
  4. JCardina

    JCardina Active Member

    Messages:
    162
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Comox, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada
    That's a pricey and more unusual one around here. I got mine from BambooWorld, I'm guessing they're the one you said was too expensive? I don't know of any other source.
     
  5. BloomBamboo

    BloomBamboo Member

    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver
    Yeah, they're the only one in town that sells them and they're only available in the large sizes. I guess that's why they sell it at such high prices because there is no where else locally to get them. Too bad it isn't such a agricultural nightmare to bring plants across the border because the nurseries in Washington sell all their plants for at least half that of bambooworld's. The search continues...
     
  6. JCardina

    JCardina Active Member

    Messages:
    162
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Comox, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada
    Ok, if you're willing to go further afield, try these guys:
    http://www.theplantfarm.ca/

    I have a yellow stripe Vivax that I got from Bambooworld but it's still a baby at this point just went in the ground this spring so no divisions possible yet.
     
  7. BloomBamboo

    BloomBamboo Member

    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver
    I was there several weeks ago. Nice nursery, helpful & clean plants. I picked up a Phyllostachys Vivax Aureocaulis & Candy Cane from them at very decent prices. I think you and I are the only bamboo collectors in BC. LOL.
     
  8. JCardina

    JCardina Active Member

    Messages:
    162
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Comox, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada
    Sometimes it seems like it. :-) There are a *lot* of people around casually interested in bamboo but I've yet to run into any more serious collector types. Generally a lot of people are interested in Black Bamboo and that's about it. The rest are just terrified of it.
     
  9. Coastal

    Coastal Active Member

    Messages:
    54
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Abbotsford

    You have no idea about some of the bamboo collectors in BC :) I have quite a collection that was given to me by my business partner including a nice clump of huanvenzhu. The funny thing is I dont have any black, just a lot of rare and cool stuff. If you are seriously looking for some im sure we could locate some for you.
     
  10. Island Sweetness

    Island Sweetness Member

    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Courtenay, B.C.
    Good morning fellow bamboo enthusiasts. I am a bamboo collector of relatively recent (3 years) in B.C., but collected varieties when I lived in Southern California. I currently have over 70 varieties of bamboo on my berry farm just north of the town of Courtenay on Vancouver Island. There are very few bamboo plant sources here in Canada that actually propagate the plants they offer for sale. Their business mainly consists of importing plants from the states (mostly Washington) and reselling them here. That includes Canada's Bamboo World and two local sources here in Courtenay, Island Bamboo and Osprey Stone & Bamboo. All of which have their own web sites. Two nurseries I know that sell mostly there own division stock are the Bamboo Ranch and the Plant Farm, both of which are on Salt Spring Island. The Bamboo Ranch has a better selection of variety but on the down side they have a bamboo mite problem. The Bamboo Ranch used to be listed on the American Bamboo Society's web site under foreign sources for plants.

    As for me, I'll have plants available for sale this coming spring and if it's not something I currently have then I can get it as I routinely import and transport plants out of Oregon. Also the plants I have are free of mites and helix aspersa.
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2008
  11. cocobolo

    cocobolo Active Member

    Messages:
    156
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Ruxton Island, B.C., Canada
    Island sweetness:
    Mites from the Bamboo Ranch??? AARRGGHHH!! I just got 18 bamboo plants from them. What do I look for?
    Are these little terrors likely to cause big problems? Or can they be controlled?
    Not only does Doug of the Bamboo Ranch have a good selection, way over 100 different types right now I would say, but his prices are really most reasonable.
     
  12. BloomBamboo

    BloomBamboo Member

    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver
    Hello Cocobolo...

    Instead of me writing a chapter, you will find all the info that you will need to know about the bamboo mite on the following link. It will bring you to the bamboo mite section from the American Bamboo Society.

    http://www.americanbamboo.org/GeneralInfoPages/BambooMites.html

    Bamboo mites won't kill your plants but creates a very unsightly appearance on the leaves of your bamboo. Not a very desired visual if you have very nice ornamental bamboos and you want to display them. Nobody wants to look at leaves that look half dead and discolored. But this is just my opinion. I'm pretty passionate about the appearance of my bamboos.

    Hope this helps.
     
  13. cocobolo

    cocobolo Active Member

    Messages:
    156
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Ruxton Island, B.C., Canada
    BloomBamboo:
    How about 10,000 thank you's for starters. I read the whole thing and will immediately get the gallon jug, soap and oil going. Several of my plants are showing the described signs, but I shall look with the 10x loupe as well just to be sure. I have every one of the preferred bamboos described so perhaps it is no surprise that there is evidence of these mites.
    Is this the time of year that bamboo leaves start to look unsightly and deteriorate? This is my first season with bamboo so no previous first hand observations to go by. Some of the plants look terrific still, others definitely not so good.
    Thank you again for your help.
     
  14. cocobolo

    cocobolo Active Member

    Messages:
    156
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Ruxton Island, B.C., Canada
    I didn't have a lot of time today to delve into the bamboo mite problem, but I did try a couple of photos. It looks to me as though these leaves perfectly match the description of the mites activities as described on the website. There appears to be similar evidence on many of my plants. Couldn't find a sprayer today, so I think I will just use a paintbrush on the leaves. It may take awhile, but I can't get across to Van. Island until Tuesday to get a sprayer, and I would just as soon start annoying these mites as soon as possible.
     

    Attached Files:

  15. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,525
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Courtenay, Vancouver Island
    I have an informal collection for those interested.
    Cheers, LPN (Lantzville, Vancouver Isl.)
     
  16. cocobolo

    cocobolo Active Member

    Messages:
    156
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Ruxton Island, B.C., Canada
    LPN:
    You're not that far from me. Could you give us a few pics of what you have, or maybe a list. I for one would like to know how your plants are doing.
    Thanks.
     
  17. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,525
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Courtenay, Vancouver Island
    Yushania anceps
    Psuedosasa japonica
    Fargesia nitida
    Plieoblastus chino 'vaginatus variegata'
    Semiarundinaria fastuosa 'viridis'

    Phyllostachys atrovaginata
    " " nigra
    " " nigra 'Bory'
    " " nigra "Megurochiku"
    " " humilis
    " " meyeri
    " " vivax
    " " edulis
    " " aureosulcata 'Alata'
    " " aureosulcata 'Spectabilis'
    " " nuda
    " " aurea

    perhaps a few others ... Cheers, LPN.
     
  18. cocobolo

    cocobolo Active Member

    Messages:
    156
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Ruxton Island, B.C., Canada
    LPN:
    How big do some of your Phyllostachys grow....like vivax for example?
     
  19. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,525
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Courtenay, Vancouver Island
    Phyllostachys vivax is about 30'+ tall ... much smaller than it's potential. Bamboo is difficult here as our summers are punishing with little rain, something bamboo needs during the growing season.

    Cheers, Barrie.
     

    Attached Files:

  20. JCardina

    JCardina Active Member

    Messages:
    162
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Comox, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada
    Interesting, I have some young Vivax and Moso that I'm hoping for great height, I was hoping for a little more than 30 feet onece they're mature though.

    How old are they Barrie? Are they mature or still getting bigger? Do you spoil them or just let them fend?
    Do they get full sun or part in the summer?
     
  21. cocobolo

    cocobolo Active Member

    Messages:
    156
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Ruxton Island, B.C., Canada
    I can certainly vouch for your summer weather comment.
    In speaking with the bamboo sellers, and chatting online, it would seem that 30' for that bamboo is actually decent for these parts. They only reach their potential under ideal conditions, which we definitely do not have here.
    I do remember many moons ago on the big island of Hawaii, down around the Kona area, they have a fantastic rain forest. I saw some bamboos reputed to be between 80 and 90 feet tall. I couldn't see the tops of them due to the canopy. But I well remember not being able to stretch both hands around them they were so big. In those days I knew absolutely zero about bamboo, so I have no idea what they were.

    Extremely impressive to say the least!!
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2008
  22. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,525
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Courtenay, Vancouver Island
    I've had some culms just dry up and collapse even with water in summer. Soil here is very rocky and poor for such a plant. I certainly don't spoil them.
    Full sun ... these came from a division originating in North Vancouver which came from Jericho Beach in Vancouver, once part of a Canadian Army base in the 1940's.

    Cheers, LPN (Barrie)
     
  23. Coastal

    Coastal Active Member

    Messages:
    54
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Abbotsford
    I dug some really nice nigra yesterday for a customer looking for a beautiful hedge.

    Probably the biggest nigra i've seen, some of it was around 25'-30' tall.
     

    Attached Files:

  24. JCardina

    JCardina Active Member

    Messages:
    162
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Comox, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada
    Mine are in completely different conditions, very rich soil (seems to be mostly decayed vegetation, it's very loamy) in an almost swampy area of the property in a think alder forest. Some are quite shaded others are getting full sun at the hottest part of the day from a nearby clearing. They won't be under water where they are in winter but they will definitely get a *lot* of moisture without being wet.

    It will be interesting to see how they do by comparison.
     
  25. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,525
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Courtenay, Vancouver Island
    Yes indeed ... we get periodic heat waves in summer where the temps reach 32°c to 38°C (90°F - 100°F). These are localized phenomenon in this area, combined with the poor soil condtions, which makes it a struggle for bamboo. Routine watering (which is metered) is a must during dry spells, difficult with the district restrictions.

    Cheers, LPN (Barrie).
     

Share This Page