Bamboo at Lowe's?

[Rynamor]

Someone had told me that they occasionally see bamboo at Lowe's, so I stopped in today to check it out. I didn't see anything (other than Lucky Bamboo) so I asked a manager who was around if they carried it. He introduced me to their "Live plant specialist" who informed me that "since bamboo is so invasive, the state of Florida won't let us ship it in".

This is, of course, after he tried to show me the lucky bamboo

Has anyone seen bamboo at Lowe's or Home Depot in FL? I'm fairly certain he was just pulling that out of his butt...

[ocimum_nate]

They sell them in Utah where I live.
I would bet that he is just one of those "specialists" you should ask him about some of the clumping varieties that are non invasive.

[Bamboo Conne'isseur]

Maybe that is a company policy, but more than likely he as my grandfather use to say is "ten pounds of manure, in a five pound bag". I see bamboo all the time in Home Dept, and usually its one of two species or both, B. Ventricosa wamin, or B. malingensis.

[spiros]

I have seen 3 gallon Fargesias for ~$60s in Union, New Jersey LOWES but no runners :( like a golden yet.

[igrowbamboo]

I found some D.strictus at the Lowe's in San Antonio.
but haven't seen any since, every time i go back the specialist
always direct me to the other bamboo.

[mr.mike]

I've seen some in the Lowe's here in west central Fla. Two different kinds; Bambusa vulgaris Vitatta and Bambusa malingensis. Each for around $50.00 for a 5 gallon pot if memory serves me correctly.

MIke

Hey.....I just made my 100th post! Time sure flies when you're talking with boo folks! Thanks to all who have helped me through this first year of "what do I do's & what do I don'ts" for my mini bamboo jungle.

[bambooweb]

Last week I saw an ad from Lowe's that had bamboo in it so I went in and they had Fargesia d. "Rufa" and Pleioblastus fortunei in one gallon pots for $20 each.

The Rufas had not been in their pots long enough to send up shoots outside of the original liner.

Bill

[kinderc]

For "IgrowBamboo"
Since you are at San Antonio, you might be interested in the fact that one of the top Bamboo folks in the USA is the Horticulturist at the SA Botanical Gardens. He oversaw the planting of ALL the bamboo at the SA Zoo, that has been in there for 20 years or more..
He is most helpful regards Bamboo or most any other plant they have there.. If you are interested in more info, please emall me direct.

Take care... Keep in touch. Kinder in Central Texas

[mike best]

At Home Depot in Orlando and Castleberry they had last week a lot of Bambusa malingensis (Seashore Bamboo), and what they called, get this...! "wong chuk Bambusa textilis 'gracilis" (Graceful Bamboo). $50.00. The Morning Star grower labels don't impress but I think it is really a plain jane textilis they are selling. For the size and price and who knows what type of boo it is, I would rather buy from the more reputable sources on bambooweb.info. that have a much more interesting selections than the mega companies.

[mantis]

I've never seen bamboo at a big box store in the Houston area.

[webgator]

I have seen bamboo at Lowe's and Home Depot's throughout Central and North Florida. It's where I bought my Bambusa ventricosa "Kimmeii".

If you are looking for a better selection and much healthier plants I suggest buying from one of the few quality bamboo growers in Florida.

[sannton]

Bamboo seems to be VERY misunderstood. I was in Lowes on Sun., still looking for a bamboo for our back yard. I asked about bamboo and they pointed to an area and when I got there the bamboo was in little pots, for indoors.
In my search I called a nursery and he said he didn't carry it because it is so evasive. That's right, Evasive! I was tempted to tell him he was right on! I can't find any of the types I want to purchase here in town.
This has been such an interesting experience, looking for the right bamboo and then trying to purchase it. The nursery closest to my house has found Alphonse Karr that is in a 7 gallon pot. We ordered 1 to see how it looks and then will decide how many we need. This same nursery has a GORGEOUS black bamboo that is probably about 15' tall and also has some golden bamboo. I asked which type of golden and he doesn't know and his wholesaler doesn't know either!
I did call a wholesaler in Houston just to see if he had some of the types I was looking for and he was pretty rude and unfriendly. I asked my nursery to also call and he got the same treatment on the phone. I think this guy wants to keep his bamboo.
Sandy

[mantis]

This same nursery has a GORGEOUS black bamboo that is probably about 15' tall and also has some golden bamboo. I asked which type of golden and he doesn't know and his wholesaler doesn't know either!

Golden bamboo is Phyllostachys aurea. It is the reason why bamboo has a bad name down here... spreads rampantly.

I know a couple of the boo suppliers in the Houston area, so if you need any help just send me a PM.

Good-luck,
Mike.

[bambooweb]

I did call a wholesaler in Houston just to see if he had some of the types I was looking for and he was pretty rude and unfriendly. I asked my nursery to also call and he got the same treatment on the phone. I think this guy wants to keep his bamboo.
Sandy

I recieved this from Kinder.

SANNTON:: I would VERY MUCH like to know the name of this wholesaler. As the info person on the internet for the Texas Bamboo Society, I make it my business to know of such folks.. good or bad..
You can certainly email me at <<TxBooGuru>>
Also on a further note, if you will post me direct, I can give you the names of a couple Texas dealers who carry the Alphonse Karr, and will ship. Also, if you are so amind you can come here and "dig your own".. We do NOT sell commercially at all, but we will teach you any and all you want to know about bamboo and show your mature speciamens of all the clumpers which "might" make it in the DFW area. Alphonse Karr is the best for that climate. You are on the Northern edge of the climate zone, for the Bambusa's...
As you have learned, you will find almost NO bamboo for sale in the DFW area. There are NO nureries there whom make Bamboo a primary plant..
Kinder in Central TExas.

[Mike,Marietta,SC,z8a]

I saw some Sasaella masamuniana albostriata at a Lowe's in Greenwood, SC about 5 years ago, but it wasn't a very good selection of the variegate (the leaves were mostly green with a few white stripes).