Unknown dwarf bamboo

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oobmab
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Location: E. TN, USA

Unknown dwarf bamboo

Post by oobmab »

A neighbor pulled up a bunch of dwarf bamboo and gave me a trash bag full of it. After 15 years, it has gotten no taller than 2' in fairly good shade. Leaves are dark green, about 8" long, 2" wide, and grow from the stem the same way pseudosasa japonica does. Growth habit is like indocalamus tessalatus (sp?). It is fairly hardy as it only suffered leaf burn on the outer edges of each leaf in zone 7 this winter (lows several nights of zero F or slightly below). Can anyone get me close to what it is?

Matt in TN, do you want some of it?
Matt W
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Re: Unknown dwarf bamboo

Post by Matt W »

oobmab,
I'm no help with the ID, but yeah, sometime when you are going to be in the area a sample starting would be cool. Is it shooting now?

Matt
moriphen
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Re: Unknown dwarf bamboo

Post by moriphen »

Sasa hayatae?
M
oobmab
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Re: Unknown dwarf bamboo

Post by oobmab »

Matt W wrote:oobmab,
I'm no help with the ID, but yeah, sometime when you are going to be in the area a sample starting would be cool. Is it shooting now?

Matt
Yes some of it is shooting. The guy I got it from ripped it up by the roots, and I've got it sitting in some water. Haven't been real motivated to plant it yet. Have one trash bag full, and can get another.
Last edited by oobmab on Wed Apr 09, 2014 1:05 am, edited 2 times in total.
oobmab
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Re: Unknown dwarf bamboo

Post by oobmab »

moriphen wrote:Sasa hayatae?
That does look like it. I'll check tomorrow for hairy underside on the leaves.

This is exactly what it looks like (Sasa hayatea):
Image
oobmab
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Re: Unknown dwarf bamboo

Post by oobmab »

I'm not sure at this point because the undersides of the leaves do not appear to be hairy, which is supposed to be a distinguishing characteristic of Sasa hayatea.
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needmore
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Re: Unknown dwarf bamboo

Post by needmore »

Common species are often more likely suspects, Sasa veitchii is more common, Sasa tsuboiana as well. Photos can be helpful, if it is a Sasa in TN it should be shooting now.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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oobmab
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Re: Unknown dwarf bamboo

Post by oobmab »

needmore wrote:Common species are often more likely suspects, Sasa veitchii is more common, Sasa tsuboiana as well. Photos can be helpful, if it is a Sasa in TN it should be shooting now.
It is shooting. I'll try to get some photos, but may have to wait until it fully sends up new growth. I'm going to say 'No' to tsuboiana at the moment because this bamboo only reached 2' high after 15 years.
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