Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

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Nathanthecarpenter
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Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

Post by Nathanthecarpenter »

I am curious to know if anyone has had experience growing timber bamboo in climates with constant hot and cold winds ? Any info one can share would be highly appreciated , for my two cents I have planted Moso, blue henon and incense bamboo all of which do not like the wind at all and are having a hard time getting established . The one bamboo I have that is doing well no matter how windy or hot is spectabilis . Thanks for any info .
Nathanthecarpenter
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Re: Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

Post by Nathanthecarpenter »

I'm guessing from the cricket sounds that no one has delt with constant winds so let me ask if anyone has had good luck with decora in hot windy locations ?
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needmore
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Re: Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

Post by needmore »

Kinder Chambers, somewhere south of you in TX with milder winters, perhaps hotter summers, not sure about wind comparison - I don't recall the source you might be able to google but I remember him saying he never waters his bamboo and Phy viridis did fine as did one or two others I forget. If you get below +5F though viridis is not a good choice. Nuda HATES wind so don't try that.
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wolfedg
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Re: Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

Post by wolfedg »

Nathanthecarpenter wrote:I'm guessing from the cricket sounds that no one has delt with constant winds so let me ask if anyone has had good luck with decora in hot windy locations ?
Here in southern MO we get a lot of wind, but the jury is still out as to the general overall effect on a mature grove here as mine are still rather young. I will say the frigid winds of winter arent kind to the juvenile plants. I currently have Vivax H.I. and Atrovaginata. I do not have decora so I cannot say much about it.
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Glen
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Re: Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

Post by Glen »

needmore wrote:Kinder Chambers, somewhere south of you in TX with milder winters, perhaps hotter summers, not sure about wind comparison - I don't recall the source you might be able to google but I remember him saying he never waters his bamboo and Phy viridis did fine as did one or two others I forget. If you get below +5F though viridis is not a good choice. Nuda HATES wind so don't try that.
Kinder owns an old cotton farm near Austin. He bought the land many years ago and started planting bamboo. He told me that he did haul water to get the plants established, but then the plants were on their own.

I visited his place a number of years ago. He has the most impressive private bamboo collection that I have seen. I think he has planted about everything over the years, and he has been successful with most of the commonly encountered Phyllostachys species. His Phyllostachys viridis and Phyllostachys bambusoides groves are amazing. When I visited, I think they were both 3+ inches, and about 40 feet tall. These two groves are in riverbottom soil.

One of the jewels of his collection is a beautiful grove of Semiarundinaria fastuosa near his house. I do not remember the measurements, but I was certainly impressed by the size and lush appearance of this grove.
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Glen
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Re: Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

Post by Glen »

Nathanthecarpenter wrote:I'm guessing from the cricket sounds that no one has delt with constant winds so let me ask if anyone has had good luck with decora in hot windy locations ?
Amarillo is quite different in climate than areas of Texas where I have grown bamboo, but here are my thoughts.

Many people, including myself, start into the bamboo world by asking, "What is the biggest bamboo I can grow?" When looking at species lists, you will see that "timber bamboos" are the largest, so it is natural to start with them. The problem is that the sizes listed for these plants are their genetic potential in an ideal climate. In much of Texas, many of these plants will be so stressed that they will stay small indefinitely, or die outright.

If one were to start out with the BEST ADAPTED plants instead, they would end up with larger, healthier bamboos than if they pursued size potential alone.

After quite a few years of growing bamboo, talking to older growers, and looking at groves, here are the ones that I believe are the best choices for a good sized grove in central and southeast Texas.

Phyllostachys aurea - This is the most widely proven performer. It has persisted in very dry areas of the state, and with decent soil, it can attain sizes in Texas that are larger than the sizes generally listed for the species. It really needs to be thinned correctly to look its best.

Phyllostachys meyeri - This is very similar to the above species, but not as common in Texas.

Phyllostachys makinoi - This is not commonly encountered, but it seems to spread as fast as Phyllostachys aurea, while attaining a larger size.

Phyllostachys viridis - This is probably the largest bamboo that can be grown in central Texas. For some reason, few nurseries seem to carry it, but its varieties are common.

Phyllostachys glauca - This species has performed very well for me, as has its variety 'Notso'. It has not reached the size of Phyllostachys aurea, but it makes a much more open grove.

Phyllostachys decora - You asked about this one, and I think it might work for you. Mine has never gotten much care, and it always looks good. It is very drought hardy, and the small leaves might help with wind resistance. It has not gotten as large as Phyllostachys aurea, but it appears to be equally drought tolerant.

Semiarundinaria fastuosa - This species is extremely drought tolerant in central Texas, and I highly recommend it. See my comments above.

I have not had the opportunity to test the cold tolerance of the above species, as I have mostly observed them in USDA Zones 8-9.
Nathanthecarpenter
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Re: Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

Post by Nathanthecarpenter »

Thanks for all the information on possible boo choices for my climate. You are right about new bamboo growers going for the biggest species they can grow , last year I tried Moso ( which I lost after 4 strait days of 105+ temps and constant wind) and nigra henon. My henon came back this year but 3 inches of snow on May 2nd and 27 degree temps stopped any upward growth and they are forming nice ground hugging bushes at this point . Glen you are also right that Amarillo is a totally different climate than the rest of Texas , our record high is 109 and record low is -13 (not in the same year) so bamboo really needs to be hardy to last up here on the bald prairie. I will post some pics later of my anti wind/baking sun method of trying to help my young boo .
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needmore
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Re: Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

Post by needmore »

If Amarillo goes to or below 0F most winters then your list gets much narrower, aurea, viridis, fastuosa, henon, decora etc will not hang on much below +5F. If you do go to 0F or colder best to stick with the aureosulcata clan, bissetii, atrovaginata (my largest bamboo in IN, well over 2: diameter), parvifolia. At one point I had some very large rubromarginata but it got killed back and did not get that size again before I moved.
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Nathanthecarpenter
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Re: Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

Post by Nathanthecarpenter »

We rarely drop into the single digits but can and will from time to time, snow my only be a trace amount or up to a couple feet but even that melts away usually within days of falling. My plan is to try as many species as I can and just see which ones work the best .
Attachments
Spectabilis planted may 4th and loves all weather thrown at it so far
Spectabilis planted may 4th and loves all weather thrown at it so far
Rubromarginata planted may 4th and doing ok in the wind
Rubromarginata planted may 4th and doing ok in the wind
Atrovaginata planted May 4th and not liking the wind
Atrovaginata planted May 4th and not liking the wind
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Glen
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Re: Timber bamboo in hot dry winds ?

Post by Glen »

Nathanthecarpenter wrote:My plan is to try as many species as I can and just see which ones work the best .
That is the right plan to have. There are so many variables that affect success or failure of bamboos that it is difficult to know exactly what will happen until you try growing them under your unique conditions. Some people cover plants during the coldest winter weather. A search of the forum might give you some ideas.

Moso is one of the few Phyllostachys that people in central Texas frequently can not keep alive. It seems very unhappy when exposed to heat, drought, sun, and alkaline soils. Having said that, I know of one beautiful grove in central Texas that is producing large diameter culms. It is growing near mesquite and prickly pear cactus, and it does not receive supplemental water.

My Henon struggled for years, until I stopped watering it. I guess it did not like something in the irrigation water. After many years, it is still one of my smallest bamboos, but at least it is alive and spreading. Perhaps in east Texas it can attain more impressive sizes.

One strategy that might help would be to grow the plants for a year or two in pots. I have sometimes had success with planting larger plants in the ground when smaller ones failed. Of course, you would have to protect the potted plants from severe cold, so the rhizome systems would not be damaged. Also, this assumes that you have a talent for growing plants in pots. Some people are just not successful in keeping anything alive long term in pots.

Another thing to consider is salt accumulation. Phyllostachys can be sensitive to salts, and I know that salinity can be a problem in the High Plains, so be certain to water heavily. This has the effect of flushing salts out of the primary root zone.
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