SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

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needmore
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Re: SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

Post by needmore »

You will not notice a hardiness diff between the two types of Bissetti - assuming I had both types properly ID'd. The ABS used to list the dwarf form as one degree hardier (not sure what current says). I always thought that was a bit odd, -15F I'm fine, ah crap it's -16F I'm top killed?
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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Re: SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

Post by UPBooMatt »

Good to know that they should have similar hardiness as I got mine from source that sells both...and the varigated japonica I got from them is definitely not variegated...lol..so who knows what my bissetii is.
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David
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Re: SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

Post by David »

Hello 5a bamboo growers!

Nuda has an undeserved reputation for hardiness. Mine is about 12 years old and top killed this winter, and has in the past too. I sometimes think that
it can't be nuda, but then the shoots come up and confirm that it is nuda.

Nuda 'Localis', on the other hand, is very hardy, and made it last winter with minimal top burn.

Bissetii is the most hardy that I grow. I think the dwarf form appears to be slightly more hardy than the type plant, but that is likely due to the fact that it is shorter and not as exposed to cold dry wind.

I would like to suggest a plant that Brad introduced several years ago which is Ph. varioauriculata. It has proved to be almost as hardy as bissetii here in Middle Tennessee. I frequently mix dwarf bissetii and vario for a very hardy short screen. BTW i do not think vario and hispida are the same plant as their mature forms are different. Hispida has a weeping form and vario is more unright.

I think you may be disappointed in the aureosulcata's in your locations, not because they lack hardiness, but due to their early shooting habit. Many times the early shoots will get killed here by a late freeze. They are beautiful plants, and Harbin inversa, and spectabilis are worth a trial anyway.

Ph. decora 'Mannii Mannii' has shown exceptional hardiness, with minimal top burn last winter.

Parvifolia is the hardiess of the large bamboo and would make for an interesting trial in your locations.

My observations are specific to Middle Tennessee.
David Arnold
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Re: SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

Post by UPBooMatt »

Thanks for your input David! I've read many of your threads here while doing my research and I'm sure in my notes I have hardiness info that came from you. (On bissetii I am positive of that)

I came to a similar conclusion about nuda based on multiple persons experience with it. Tends to top kill and stay immature when that happens frequently.

Decora and parvifolia are on my list as potentials to try depending on how the whole experiment goes.

I would have probably tried parvifolia actually, probably in place of the rubro, but my yard isn't really wide enough to deal with the weeping habit it tends to have while it matures. (If it matures). In my research rubro sounds like it has a fairly upright habit...even as a young plant.

My one shoot on it since I planted it is nearly dead center and within 10° of vertical, I'll take it even if it was just luck.
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Re: SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

Post by David »

Rubro was the first bamboo I planted mostly to screen a noisy road, but I was also intrigued by its potential in the pulp and fiber industry. It can get really tall, and spreads very quickly. I hope it does well for you.

Parvi has turned out to be very hardy for me, and it gets over the leaning habit pretty quickly. Worth a try anyway.
David Arnold
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Re: SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

Post by UPBooMatt »

I would be satisfied with a ~15ft tall 12x3 rubro grove/screen if I find it overtakes the others or the simply don't survive. Likewise if either one of the others takes off. My backup plan is relocating any "weaklings" that can't make it since I don't have a lot of room in this spot. My parents have 80 acres just a half hour away that would be the recipient.

That's way off though...and maybe just a pipe (bamboo pipe?) dream...lol
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Re: SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

Post by wufeng »

David wrote: Nuda has an undeserved reputation for hardiness. Mine is about 12 years old and top killed this winter, and has in the past too. I sometimes think that
it can't be nuda, but then the shoots come up and confirm that it is nuda.

Nuda 'Localis', on the other hand, is very hardy, and made it last winter with minimal top burn.
Maybe it depend on the location, but in my garden both nuda and nuda localis looks very similar in hardinnes and are very hardy. Maybe nuda from another source will solve this problem.
I am engaged in pages about hardy bamboos in Czech language - http://bambusy.info/.
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Re: SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

Post by UPBooMatt »

David wrote:
I would like to suggest a plant that Brad introduced several years ago which is Ph. varioauriculata. It has proved to be almost as hardy as bissetii here in Middle Tennessee. I frequently mix dwarf bissetii and vario for a very hardy short screen. BTW i do not think vario and hispida are the same plant as their mature forms are different. Hispida has a weeping form and vario is more unright.


My observations are specific to middle Tennessee
David (and Brad) I'd be interested in hearing more about these two. Specifically hardiness of course, buthe growth habits as well. I must have glanced over varioauriculata when reading your post the first time since it was completely unfamiliar to me.

From what I can find on eflora (not even a sketch) it's definitely one of the smaller, smallest? Phyllostachys sp. Ohrnberger gives locations for both, states they are considered conspecific, but no mention of any growing habits or temp tolerance. The regions they are from don't seem to offer much in the way of cold temps to go on that I could find. And the lexicon has nothing about it. (Not suprising now that I think about it if Brad brought it in to the US fairly recently)

Of the usual sources, none other than Bamboo Plantation offer either, at least outright on their websites. Anywhere else you know of that it may be available? They do make mention of Brad as the importer of varioauriculata, and that they grow differently for them.

Any insight either of you can provide about these two would be much appreciated. Thank you.
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Re: SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

Post by needmore »

I would not expect either to winter over in zone 5, both are quite short for a Phyllostachys, the Phy hispida as David mentioned has a weeping profile and tinge of burgundy on the canes seemed common on mine, whereas the Phy varioauriculata is upright with fuzzy culm leaves.

So if a short bamboo gets topkilled in zone 5 it will come back as a shorter short bamboo. Both will shoot later than they aureosulcata clan so they should be less vulnerable to late freeze as David suggested but I think they'll always be shorter than a topkilled aureosulcata form. My Phy bissetii form seemed to be taller than other clones I hear of, it surpassed 30' and approached 2". It seemed to be the hardiest but it too topkilled in my 5b/6a.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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Re: SE Idaho, zone 5, what to grow?

Post by UPBooMatt »

Hmm, thanks for the thoughts Brad. I was thinking along those lines with starting with a shorter mature height might make for a something like 12" annual Phyllostachys...lol.

And wow on the bissetii, if I could have half of those numbers, with any of my three I'd be thrilled.
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