Blue Bamboo ID

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Chris S
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Location: SE UK 400ft Zone 8/7 Low usually 28F, -4C (-10, -12, -14, -1, -6C last 5); High 99F, 37C in 2019
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Re: Blue Bamboo ID

Post by Chris S »

Yes Brad, there are very obvious differences. Himalayacalamus has virtually no cross-veins on the leaves,
http://www.bamboo-identification.co.uk/ ... ed-720.jpg
(from Himalayacalamus hookerianus page)
and buds that are shorter than their width, often onion-shaped, fairly consistent, though getting a little taller going up the culm
Bud of Himalayacalamus 'Damarapa'
Bud of Himalayacalamus 'Damarapa'
rather than the taller, triangular or chilli-shaped ones of Borinda which get much more elongated going up the culm
Buds of a Borinda grossa culm
Buds of a Borinda grossa culm
Chris
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needmore
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Re: Blue Bamboo ID

Post by needmore »

Thank you! I have a new H cupreus no reason to be a suspect ID really but it was an interesting search for it at the nursery and an impressive one if indeed it was found properly ID'd.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
Van-isle-bamboo
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Re: Blue Bamboo ID

Post by Van-isle-bamboo »

Great stuff Chris S ! We all appreciate your extensive knowledge and pictures you share.

Hands down really nothing compares in the KR series to the true blue of the cs 1046. I wish wish wish I could trust the (somewhat ) local source for this becuse I fear it’s the less hardy TC one.
Chris S
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Re: Blue Bamboo ID

Post by Chris S »

Brad, you should be able to ID your cupreus from the pictures at
http://www.bamboo-identification.co.uk/ ... preus.html
The coppery culm sheath cilia are very distinctive. It upsizes quickly and is very vigorous in a good site. If you ever wanted to get into weaving baskets, then this is one of the best bamboos for that, and it also has sweet shoots. The foliage looks terrific when low sun shines through it and lights it up.
Himalayacalamus cupreus grain storage baskets, Seti Khola
Himalayacalamus cupreus grain storage baskets, Seti Khola
Kailey, we still do not know what the Oprins' TC papyrifera 'Blue Dragon' really is, but it seems narrowed down to KR7615 or my 1046. Mike Bell reported that KR7615 was substantially hardier than 1046, and it comes from a little higher up the same mountain. As it was being propagated for wide use across Europe, it would presumably have made more sense to use KR7615, even though the blue colour is a little less intense. TC plants should settle down to normal growth after a few years, once they have used up all the chemicals thrown at them to push them into the semi-suicidal growth rates that allow fast division. I have purchased one and will compare it to my introduction, but it came with such a heavy load of critters and virus that it is still struggling for survival.
http://www.bamboo-identification.co.uk/ ... op-720.jpg
That is Bird Cherry-Oat Aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi, and Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus. Could actually have spotted them on the photograph of the plant on the nursery website. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Chris
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bamboo-identification.co.uk

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Van-isle-bamboo
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Re: Blue Bamboo ID

Post by Van-isle-bamboo »

Oh my Chris thank goodness for you picking up on he bugs and isolating it.

I take it the Kr 7615 is the same as 7613? Oh my the numbers sure make these bamboos sound like case studies don’t they haha.

Your papyrifera sizes up really fast so it will be interesting to see how fast the KR 7613 does.

I’ll need to give the Cs 1046 another try when I track one down that’s small enough to ship. It’s a wonderful Bamboo and I NEED to grow it!
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Re: Blue Bamboo ID

Post by needmore »

Great resources Chris, I look forward to some shoots for comparison.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
ivorhooper
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Re: Blue Bamboo ID

Post by ivorhooper »

Finally got one of these "Blue Dragons"
They seem to becoming slightly more popular. There's two nurseries near me that stock it, and quite a few online places to get it in the UK.
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