Changes in leaf structure during the winter

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Tarzanus
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Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Changes in leaf structure during the winter

Post by Tarzanus »

I've been thinking about bamboo leaves some time now, and about how they change with upcoming winter. Leaves often appear thin and lighter green, and suddenly turn thicker, darker green, sometimes glossy or even waxed. The change occurs on variegated bamboo leaves as well, perhaps even more evident. Anyone who owns Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima' had probably noticed it's transition of light, variegated parts of it's leaves. They turn from cream, whitish color to almost bright yellow.
I have noticed the same thing with my variegated seedlings of Phyllostachys arcana (Luteosulcata) and the non-variegated seedling. The latter changes considerably, and it's the one that had shown wax on the leaf surface last winter. I did not notice it this year yet, but the variegated seedlings changed already... The variegated parts start as lime green and fade to yellow. With winter, it also changed to even more bright yellow color and some leaves show strange reddish hue. At the moment, I'm not sure if it's just some sort of leaf damage.

Some of the nicest (with most red color) leaves were destroyed recently by a roaming horde of deer that got caught into our neighborhood somehow. I covered them with PVC foil tunnel. Pictures below may show some red hue, but not much around the middle of the leaf. Leaves are much thicker than those during the summer.

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So, the question is, how do the leaves change during the winter? Do they all change or are there species that show more adaptations and if so, are they more hardy, compared to those that remain the same during the winter. For example Borinda doesn't change the leaves and it usually just drops everything that freezes and starts anew.
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needmore
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Re: Changes in leaf structure during the winter

Post by needmore »

I recall reading somewhere that there may be a correlation between leaf tessellation and hardiness.

We've had no frost yet but I'm noticing that my H shiroshima branches and culms seem to be turning a very dark burgundy, the yellow culm bamboo are also staining dark even parts of the yellow Bambusa. The albovariegata is taking on an apricot hue on the leaves.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
Tarzanus
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Re: Changes in leaf structure during the winter

Post by Tarzanus »

Just noticed that wax started to form on the P. arcana seedling again this year. Shitty mobile phone with shittier camera, so it's not very visible, but if you look closer - the bluish white glow on some of the leaves is wax.
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Oh, and the culm color is dark purple, almost completely black. It should be interesting if it stays that easy to color-up in the future when it matures. None of the culms turned back to green or yellow, so I'm not sure about their terminal color either.

We've only had a couple of nights below freezing. That might change during the following week with temperatures around -5°C. We might even see some snow, hopefully.
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