I was wondering if anyone could help me identify a bamboo that I bought a year ago. It was sold to me as a Phyllostachys Viridis Houzeau I hadn't done any research so I brought it home and planted it. Since then I have become someswhat more knowledable about bamboo and am sure it is not as claimed. It has butter yellow mature culms with a green ring at the internode. It sent up shoots in june and is sending up more right now. The immature culms are a light green colour with a yellow sulcis. The culm sheaths are a tan colour, the leaf sheaths have blade and 2 fimbrae and auricles. It is pretty obviously in the phyllostachys genus as it has the typical 2 branches of uneven length one being about a third longer than the other. I hope this is enough information for someone to take guess at least. My concern is if this is a rampant runner I would like to dig it up and pot it. Thanks for any help you can give me. rikkajb email doug_bradley@telus.net
'Houzeau' has green culms with yellow grooves, as does your plant. What are the other characters of your plant that don't fit 'Houzeau'? I don't remember the details of the culm sheaths of Phyllostachys viridis, is that what you are saying is wrong? At any rate, all Phyllostachys spp. are monopodial (running). If you can't have it spreading underground you will want to take preventative measures regardless of which kind it is anyway.
unknown bamboo Thank you for your reply however I neglected to mention when the culms mature they turn a light butter yellow. Regarding the running problem I was told by a couple of growers that in our climate it would tend to stay as a clump.
