Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing something

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Deane
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Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing something

Post by Deane »

I first bought spectabilis from a great company in France (PLANFOR) but when a bamboo expert come to visit my Collection ,he said that it was Aureocaulis,I bought spectabilis again from yougarden and they sent me 3 Aureocaulis even the plant labels said Aureocaulis . I have now ordered Spectabilis from bigplant nursery and it has come but looks like Aureocaulis to me ,surely not again ,there is no green strip at all ,I thought you guys might be able shed some light on the issue
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by Deane »

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needmore
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by needmore »

Easy to source in the US so odd you are having trouble there and none of those appear correct.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
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Deane
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by Deane »

Loads of people sell it here but it looks like many don't know there bamboo too well tho ,it's a shame
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by bennaz0610 »

Now, I'm not an expert more of admirer of bamboo. But I have seen Phyllostachys Spectabalis at my local B&Q of all places. Large specimens too.

Yellow and Green striped canes I remember, wasn't a bamboo I was over fond of like.
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by Deane »

The latest one has two different shoots coming up ? .
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Tarzanus
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by Tarzanus »

Shoots are very similar for all Phyllostachys aureosulcata bamboos. Especially this size. You will have to check the culm in a few weeks.
I have bought Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' lamatempel from Germany. It was spectabilis, but I suspect it was lamatempel2, because it stopped growing somewhere around 5m and an inch diameter. Got 'scammed' with almost all my boos, except Shiroshima.
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by Nicholas »

Deane wrote:The latest one has two different shoots coming up ? .
I've bought two 'spectabilis' once at a discount supermarket here in Austria several years ago and observed the same problem you have.
The large bulk of culms on the first plant were not spectabilis or even aureocaulis but just a plain green variant.
Only two tiny culms had the typical aureosulcata look and yellow color.
The second plant was entirely an aureosulcata but neither turned out to be spectabilis.

I suspect that the plants were most likely propagated by tissue culture which may help to explain why one had reverted back to a green form.

I've posted about this here in the forum before, see: http://www.bambooweb.info/bb/viewtopic. ... ata#p70312
If you follow the link in that post there is a picture of the all-green plant and you can see the tiny yellow shoot.

I suspect the one pinkish shoot may be the aureosulcata form while the other should probably turn out to be plain green.

By the way I waited some time and removed the small yellow culms from that one plant once the shoot had hardened off and it remains as an aureosulcata to this day.
Unfortunately I've kept these plants in pots on an exposed terrace and this winter has pretty much topkilled them, possibly even eradicated the entire plants.

It is surprising that you can't find a proper spectabilis. I've seen them being sold in garden centers from time to time over the years.
My advice is to either order at a really reputable bamboo nursery or physically visit some stores. That way you actually see what you are buying.
If you are active in this forum chances are that you know about 99% more about bamboo than the staff at your typical garden center.

Either way, good luck and greetings from Austria
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by Deane »

Thanks guys for all the info ,it's been a great read ,I have now had a reply back from bigplant nursery and it seem I was sent Phyllostachys bissettii.with a bit of Aureocaulis in it (I think ) .i should get replacement tomorrow so fingers crossed ,on the plus side of things they have said I can keep the incorrect one too so it will be nice to see what it grows in to
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by Deane »

Well as big plant nursery promised ,I now have the right bamboo at last
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Tarzanus
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by Tarzanus »

Congratulations. :)
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Re: Why is spectabilis so hard to get or am I missing someth

Post by Deane »

Tarzanus wrote:Congratulations. :)
Thanks ,it's unreal I have much rarer bamboos that I got quite easy ,and this one is very common in uk but it was a nightmare to get ,never mind I have it now
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