timber species ID

[ChrisM]

I have been growing this timber species for several years now and really need help IDing it. It originated from a field collection an acquaintance had done while hunting and I in turn received a division of his. The collection is from near Tallassee, AL. The culm shealths vary in color depending on how early/late they come up. Darker-earlier, lighter-later. The rhizomes are thick and suggest it will continue to size up for several years. It currently has 2.5" culms at about 25-30'. The pic of the rhizomes has the timber species on the right and the other pics have some nigra and aurea creeping into the area. I think it is vivax, though others are not sure. The newer culms are much brighter and have a more noticeable white node stripe. The white node stripe fades with age, although doesn't disappear.
Chris

[needmore]

Chris, look at the numerous pictures posted in the photo database here of Viridis and see what you think...

[Markj]

Anyone else reckon Ph. viridis has the thickest of rhizomes, this plant seems to produce some tough rhizomes, way larger than other species of a similar size.....








Or is it me

[CJW]

You have some black bamboo on the first pic
2nd pic looks like bambusoides but the culm at the back is typical of P.Aurea

3rd pic looks like it could be a shoot of mature P.Aurea.
4th pic looks a heck of a lot like P.Bambusoides.


hmm, if it is bambusoides you got, why the distorted internodes?

Vridis has some big rhizomes but I think you'll find P.Vivax, Bambusoides and edulis has the biggest rhizomes.. I have seen a few rhizomes get to ~3" dia!! Huge.. shoots were 6" across!

[BooKing]

How about some pics of the 6in diameter shoots?

[ChrisM]

Viridis, vivax, and bambusoides were my initial candidates. The pics on the database definitely do lean heavily toward viridis, especially your pics Brad and the one from JMBamboo. The rhizome pic you posted Markj looks alot like my rhizomes. There is definitely no aurea shoots in any pics. This species shoots 4-6+ weeks later than my other species. My aurea comes up late April and is done and opened up by the end of May, while this species doesn't start until June and is very slow to branch out. With the drought this year my early culms are just starting to branch out now. Though this is later than usual. In fact it just started putting up new shoots this past week since we have gotten a bit of relief from the drought. I think I will consider it viridis for now until something sways me from this decision. I have traded off starts to booman and kudzu and will be offering a few more in trade soon and just want to be able to label it as accurately as possible and all of you are my best chance at identifying it. Please keep the comments and suggestions coming if you have any as I like this species alot. I wish I had seen viridis first hand so that I knew for certain what the pigskin is suppose to feel like, but pics on the internet and descriptions just don't do it for me.
Thanks again all
Chris

[David]

Hi Chris,

New green snake Dad here. Looks like viridis. From the shooting time I would think it would be too late for vivax but considering local conditions who knows.

One feature of the viridis that I have in full sun is that it goes through a 'Fall' each year. During the fall many of the leaves will turn a cream gold color, and it gives the plant a distinctive yellow gold color from a distance. I have a viridis in 1/2 day sun, however, that does not seem to have this period of 'fall'.

Another feature of viridis is that it will send up shoots sporadically during the summer and fall after the main shooting season. This obviously is not exclusive to viridis, but it is a characteristic that is common in the viridis family.

I hesitate to even suggest this ,but you could cut down a culm and see if it has fairly thick culm walls. Viridis is fairly thick and strong compared to vivax which is thin walled, and weak.

I think CJW was referring to the compressed node culm in a couple of the backgrounds as aurea.

Regards,

David

[needmore]

Chris, don't know if this will help to explain it, but if you take your thumbnail/thumbtip and go 'upculm' on the Viridis, it is somehwat dimply sort of like the surface of a football but not quite as dramatic - still it is noticeable and not many species have this aspect as far as I know, the Aureosulcata cultivars do but they do not look like your plant.


Here are some Viridis culms for more comparison - the bigger one is my largest culm to date, measuring just shy of 1.75 inches at eye level.

<img src="http://www.bambooweb.info/images/bamboo ... igculm.jpg" alt="PHYLLOSTACHYS viridis ">

[CJW]

How about some pics of the 6in diameter shoots?

Go to Takehei bamboo museam and see the pics.. I have seen bambusoides get that big. more typical is 5-5.5"..

I don't have shoots this size yet.

[Markj]

I found the site but under a different spelling 'Takeshi ', no sign of any 6" bambusoides shoots though

[Markj]

CJW-- I've no doubt that other species can grow larger rhizomes than Viridis, but like for like in culm size the viridis rhizome is larger--That's just my thoughts after growing all of these in the same garden


Let's not forget that rhizome size means nowt when it comes to shoot size, it's all about rhizome age and conditions...


Here's a pinched pic showing a good sized shoot on a small rhizome...

[ChrisM]

Well I did the thumb up the culm test and cut a 5' shoot down and feel very good about it being viridis. Thank you all for being so willing to help identify this really sharp boo for me.
Chris

[CJW]

CJW-- I've no doubt that other species can grow larger rhizomes than Viridis, but like for like in culm size the viridis rhizome is larger--That's just my thoughts after growing all of these in the same garden


Let's not forget that rhizome size means nowt when it comes to shoot size, it's all about rhizome age and conditions...


Here's a pinched pic showing a good sized shoot on a small rhizome...


I am not sure what you are trying to say... Rhizome size does indicate the food availbile for the bamboo which does roughly tell you when a big shoot is coming.