The hardy bamboo palm (Chamaedorea microspadix) replaced the bamboo I was growing indoors. The bamboo needed much more light, and this palm from Mexico tolerates a lot of shade. Very slow grower. First picture is now, second is from three years ago with the bamboo still present and the palm just placed there, a gift from a friend who divided her monster plant.
Hedge bamboo, Bambusa multiplex, but I do not remember the specific variety. It does need plenty of sun, and it gradually declined in that location. I loved it, but I had to part with it.
Thanks for confirming the identity of my bamboo. Funny thing, last year I moved it to a high light location and it didn't like it. The leaves became yellowish along with some dead spots. It's returning to its former lush green now that it's in a less well lit spot.
And here is the Ficus elastica’Burgundy’ from the second photo above, which spends the summer outside. Not the most graceful of plants, but provides some color for our back deck. I like the underside of the leaves.
Good afternoon Nik @Nik, that is some amazing close ups. The shadow of the flower on the leaf is also rather special. Looks like the different light also contributes to the wonderful colours. I would imagine artificial light in the evening makes this plant even more interesting!! Hope it does OK outside for the next several weeks.
Hi D, that is not a flower, it is the protective sheath that covers the new leaf. Rather decorative though...
Ah Ok Nik, thanks for letting me know. It is very pretty like that. Great photo, you got the light perfectly.
Good growth this summer. Still very slow though... Our 15 year old Jack Russell terrier likes resting on the couch underneath.
The Palmpedia.com page notes: Several forms are cultivated and these vary in shape, color, and size of pinnae and the glaucous white covering on the underside. Some forms have pinnae that are entirely green on the underside while others have pinnae that are distinctly powdery-white below. Chamaedorea microspadix is durable, hardy, and of relatively easy culture. There appears to be some variation in tolerance of light among various forms. Some are more tolerant of higher light than others and can be grown in nearly full-sun, resulting in only slight yellowing of the leaves.
Thanks for the information but the plant that I have is a variety of Bambusa multiplex. That's what the "it" was in reference to.
New flower buds are pushing through. I normally remove them very early on, but this year I will let them develop fully, so I know if it is a male or a female plant.
One of the emerging inflorescences has an interesting, almost alien look. Still very early in its development. The others are even further behind.
Still too early to tell, but just the overall look of the inflorescences suggests female. I’ll wait for the flowers to open to confirm it, then I will remove them.
They will never develop into fruit, I have no other palms in the house... So I’d rather have all energy to go into leaf production. I actually have been removing them every previous year, now I am just curious to figure out the sex of my plant. Even though they look interesting, it is the foliage of the plant that I care about as a house plant.
I removed one of the inflorescences trying to take better close ups, but it is still too early to tell definitively.. I have to wait a bit longer.
