Page 1 of 1

white bamboo?

Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 7:09 pm
by timrodgers
I have a small 10 yr old grove of Yellow Groove. This spring I noticed a lone shoot that was white. Is that typical?

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:23 am
by dependable
If that shoot is alive, it is not common at all.

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 5:26 pm
by Alan_L
That's really interesting! All-white variegation in any plant is usually not a good thing for survival, as no green means no chlorophyl which means no photosynthesis. I'd leave it alone (don't try to dig it out) and see if you get more culms like that next year, or some variegation pattern that has some green in it. :)

Thanks for sharing -- really cool!

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:00 pm
by timrodgers
Thank you guys, for your insight.

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 3:38 am
by UPBooMatt
Wow that's fantastic!!...and the best part is, I would think it should survive. It's attached to the rest of the grove so it doesn't "need" any chlorophyll of its own. (Only my opinion based on the same growing habit in redwoods) I definitely agree with Alan though do not try to separate it, that'll kill it for sure. Is it is shade or sun? (Hopefully shade)

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:38 pm
by Sottozero
Hello, I'm new here but I decided to write something because this is really interesting. It could be the birth of a new variety, maybe with white and green culms, in this way the whole plant could make photosynthesis, even if slower.
Keep us posted about this, I'm courious and I'll be glad to be the first in Italy with this bamboo

Inviato dal mio SM-G950F utilizzando Tapatalk

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 11:24 pm
by timrodgers
Hey Matt(?)
Thanks for you reply! It is in the sun most of the day. Also, I'm not sure why all my pics are posted sideways….

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2018 11:17 pm
by Sottozero
Hello, I'm new here but this is really interesting, this could be a wonderful new variety, I thought the most decorative white bamboo was P. bambusoides "Richard Haubrich" but, with totally white and green culms in a single plant, this would be much more better.
Just keep us posted, I'm really courious, and I want to be the first in Italy having this variety :D

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2018 6:43 pm
by Deane
I have had white seedlings before but they always die, I have also had white leafs on some bamboos but they grow out,but I have not seen a hole culm before

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2018 8:50 pm
by UPBooMatt
Full sun huh?...we'll that'll be the best test of the culms ability to survive, even if not necessarily best for that survival. Do you know how long its been "open" and growing for? Any obvious signs of stress? How does it compare with the rest of the grove in size?

If I'm bugging you then too bad...lol, you shouldn't have posted a pic of an albino bamboo... :lol:

Edit: Oh and your pics orient fine when made larger.

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2018 8:59 pm
by timrodgers
The "white" one is new this spring. As you can see, it's not real sturdy. but it appears to be as healthy as "green" culms of comparable size. All the new culms vary in size, even after 10 years.
I've emailed my pics to the "Missouri Botanical Gardens" here in St. Louis but can not seem to get a reply...

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2018 11:57 pm
by fredgpops
I have seen white culms establish on various species but not necessarily developed to this extent. As I recall Tarzanus and I went around and around on Koi shoots - that I had never seen new shoots with the coloring of shoots he had posted. Since then I have noticed odd ball coloring on new shoots of several species. I'm betting it has to do with the elements in the soil and if you are familiar with asparagus, how long it takes, as well as how deep a new shoot takes to reach soil level. Again, I have not seen the white level of develop reach this level. Rgds

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2018 8:31 pm
by NobeyamaGP
White bamboo! I've never seen that before. Hopefully it stays around and the rest of the grove has enough energy to keep it alive. It reminds me that there is actually a fantasy Japanese anime called Mushishi that has a white bamboo culm-lookalike called a "Magari-dake" http://mushi-shi.wikia.com/wiki/Magari-dake as one of its fantasy creatures.

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 3:16 am
by Jeff: Igor's Apprentice
Have you gotten anymore white shoots?

Re: white bamboo?

Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 11:49 pm
by Cooper12
I have seen this on oldhamii but eventually all the leaves brown up and the shoot dies from what I have seen