Winter Kill

Other things that involve bamboo

Moderator: needmore

Fish Gary
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 9:28 pm
Location info: 0
Location: South Central Missouri

Winter Kill

Post by Fish Gary »

Been a while since I have posted! Lost my bamboo when it got down to 8 below. From south central Missouri and wondered whether I should cut all down to the ground or leave the so far green stalks. Almost all leaves look bad. It has grooves and came from the St. Louis area. Largest is 10 feet tall and has been there about 10 years. Also lost it once before due to the cold. Thanks!
User avatar
needmore
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:14 pm
Location info: 0
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Kea'au, HI

Re: Winter Kill

Post by needmore »

You can cut it down now but I would wait until a new crop of culms are up, leafed out, and when you press a thumbnail against the culm it does not leave a mark. Might take until September!

Just my way of going about it, in my experience if you cut them too soon the new culms can tend to be floppy and more exposed to damage from critters/wind etc so the old dead culms sort of can protect/support them to an extent.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
Alan_L
Posts: 2966
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:13 pm
Location info: 81
Location: St. Louis area

Re: Winter Kill

Post by Alan_L »

Don't assume it's dead yet -- there have been years when every leaf has gone brown (like this year), but then the culms leaf out again in the spring. One it starts warming up a bit (March maybe) take a look at the branches to see if leaf buds are expanding. If so, don't cut it down as it's not dead!
pokenei
Posts: 407
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:18 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Toronto (north)

Re: Winter Kill

Post by pokenei »

I was ready for this Winter. I purchased two 30' x 40' tarps and covered all my bamboos around mid January when the weather was forecasting many consecutive days of extreme cold. That said, there's also a chance my bamboos may survive without the tarps because of the amount of snow cover. My bamboos are also about 10 years old. If it weren't for Winter die-backs, they would have been well over 30 feet tall by now.
dependable
Posts: 1323
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:28 am
Location info: 0
Location: Island off Cape Cod Massacusetts
Contact:

Re: Winter Kill

Post by dependable »

I'd second waiting to see what was foliage killed vs killed to ground (KTG). This year my groves got whacked pretty badly, around Feb 3rd, probably the same time as everyone else in mid to east USA. Warmest winter on record around here, yet 18 hrs of sub-zero temps and gale force winds took its toll. The tops of P bissetti, various aurosulcatas, rubromarginata and nuda look battered, along with some immature growth of same. I'm sure they will be OK despite some set back.

The Vivax stands had finally fully recovered form being KTG in 2016. They don't look quite as bad as back then, with some of the sheltered lower leaves still alive, so I have hope, but will not know until summer rolls around. P japonica, my Semi-Arudinarias, Pleioblastus, Hibanobambusa, all have major leaf kill. Some of the more exposed ones are probably KTG, other will likely re foliate.
fredgpops
Posts: 885
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:26 pm
Location info: 0
Location: plus 700ft in the Santa Cruz Mtns, 8 miles from the Pacific
35 miles S. of San Jose

Re: Winter Kill

Post by fredgpops »

In my zone, heavy rain (52 inches) so far this winter. Had a 50ft oak tree fall but no damage. Currently have a week of cold weather. Expect snow in the next couple of days. Several bamboo plants turning yellow and/or dropping leaves. Snow in the Sierra mtns at record level for this time of year. Dams are overflowing so lots of water just flowing into the ocean. RGds
dependable
Posts: 1323
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:28 am
Location info: 0
Location: Island off Cape Cod Massacusetts
Contact:

Re: Winter Kill

Post by dependable »

Here are some wither damage pictures I took today. The dead leaves are just beginning to fall off the tattered groves. Looks like I can only post 3 pictures at a time, so we'll see how far I get with this. Species and comments with pictures.
Attachments
F Jiuzhaigou  Looks rough but has living leaves in middle
F Jiuzhaigou Looks rough but has living leaves in middle
F Denudata   Some damage, but not bad
F Denudata Some damage, but not bad
F Rufra    Least damaged Fargesia
F Rufra Least damaged Fargesia
dependable
Posts: 1323
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:28 am
Location info: 0
Location: Island off Cape Cod Massacusetts
Contact:

Re: Winter Kill

Post by dependable »

Here are some more Fargesias;
Attachments
F Nitida, one of the ones I grew from seed, so variety unknown, just slightly tattered
F Nitida, one of the ones I grew from seed, so variety unknown, just slightly tattered
F Robusta, definatly killed to ground.  This particular plant was about the same size when KTG in 2016.
F Robusta, definatly killed to ground. This particular plant was about the same size when KTG in 2016.
One formerly known as F Draconcephela, I forget what the new name is, looking pretty good
One formerly known as F Draconcephela, I forget what the new name is, looking pretty good
dependable
Posts: 1323
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:28 am
Location info: 0
Location: Island off Cape Cod Massacusetts
Contact:

Re: Winter Kill

Post by dependable »

Here's some that got damaged badly;
Attachments
P Japonica  Surly KTG, just as it was in 2016.  Not too sad, it was getting out of hand anyway.  Will come back.
P Japonica Surly KTG, just as it was in 2016. Not too sad, it was getting out of hand anyway. Will come back.
P rubro marginata  Looks pretty bad, there are a few green leaves in middle, but probably a lot of culm death too.
P rubro marginata Looks pretty bad, there are a few green leaves in middle, but probably a lot of culm death too.
P Vivax  Pretty sure is KTG.  It was just getting back toward 50Ft height it had before KTG in 2016
P Vivax Pretty sure is KTG. It was just getting back toward 50Ft height it had before KTG in 2016
dependable
Posts: 1323
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:28 am
Location info: 0
Location: Island off Cape Cod Massacusetts
Contact:

Re: Winter Kill

Post by dependable »

Here are three more:
Attachments
Semi-Arundinaria fastuosa   Mostly KTG,  a few sheltered culms lived.
Semi-Arundinaria fastuosa Mostly KTG, a few sheltered culms lived.
Pleiobalstus simonii   Some living leaves inside, but I'll mow this one to start anew.
Pleiobalstus simonii Some living leaves inside, but I'll mow this one to start anew.
Semi-Arundinaria Yashadake "Kimmei"   Sadly, killed to ground again.  P vivax aurocaulis in forground KTG too.  Any green in picture is P Bisettii
Semi-Arundinaria Yashadake "Kimmei" Sadly, killed to ground again. P vivax aurocaulis in forground KTG too. Any green in picture is P Bisettii
dependable
Posts: 1323
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:28 am
Location info: 0
Location: Island off Cape Cod Massacusetts
Contact:

Re: Winter Kill

Post by dependable »

Yet three more;
Attachments
P Bissitti   This is the worst looking I've ever seen this type,  looks kinda of rough but am sure it will bounce back.
P Bissitti This is the worst looking I've ever seen this type, looks kinda of rough but am sure it will bounce back.
P aureosulcata  This is pretty representative of all my P aureosulcatas, species, alata, specabilis and aurocaulis.  Harbin is KTG though, no surprise
P aureosulcata This is pretty representative of all my P aureosulcatas, species, alata, specabilis and aurocaulis. Harbin is KTG though, no surprise
Shibataea kumasaca   Mostly dead on outside, more interior leave lived than show up in picture, but will likely mow this one too.
Shibataea kumasaca Mostly dead on outside, more interior leave lived than show up in picture, but will likely mow this one too.
dependable
Posts: 1323
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:28 am
Location info: 0
Location: Island off Cape Cod Massacusetts
Contact:

Re: Winter Kill

Post by dependable »

Here are the last three pictures for today. I might not have any updates on this until May. One thing that is slightly novel about this kill off is now my yard is getting filled with dead bamboo leaves, in a quantity I've never seen come down all at once before.

Hope report is helpful, let me know if you have any questions.
Attachments
P nuda.  This fared about the same as other hardy Phyllosachys, but when less mature, this sort of event would have KTG, as it did in 2016
P nuda. This fared about the same as other hardy Phyllosachys, but when less mature, this sort of event would have KTG, as it did in 2016
P flexiosa that was in the wind.  P a Spectabliis in background.  I suspect flexiosa is not quite as hardy as some though, as exposed stands look pretty dead.
P flexiosa that was in the wind. P a Spectabliis in background. I suspect flexiosa is not quite as hardy as some though, as exposed stands look pretty dead.
P flexiosa in sheltered spot.  This is similar outcome as more sheltered P bissetti, aurosulcatas, etc.
P flexiosa in sheltered spot. This is similar outcome as more sheltered P bissetti, aurosulcatas, etc.
stevelau1911
Posts: 3088
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:15 pm
Location info: 42
Location: upstate NY zone 6B
Contact:

Re: Winter Kill

Post by stevelau1911 »

Would have to say the most leaf burned bamboo I had happened to be phyllostachys dulcis. Never expected leaf damage in zone 8 Texas so didn't do anything to protect them but it happened to get down to a winter low of 11F in Texas. Guess the biggest factor was that this was planted in the ground in October still not settled in at all and it being windy on that day.

Still managed to produce 8 shoots clearly larger than the ones of the original plant bought in January of 2022. From the 1 gallon plant, the 2 shoots that were produced were no bigger than the original. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1735040 ... 626937227/
dependable
Posts: 1323
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:28 am
Location info: 0
Location: Island off Cape Cod Massacusetts
Contact:

Re: Winter Kill

Post by dependable »

Reflecting on this year's freeze event, I'm wondering if sudden temp drop, which in my case was about 40 degrees in about 10 hours, affected leaf damage along with low temp and wind.

In the last winter kill event I had in 2016 the low temp I recorded was -7F and the winds were just as strong as this year's event, and of longer duration. The die back of less hardy bamboos was expected, what is different this time is the extent of leaf damage to otherwise hardy bamboos like P bissetti and P aureosulcata.

In 2016 when my P vivax, Semi-Arundinarias, P japonicas, etc, were set back, and I most of my P nigra varieties, the hardier bamboos did not suffer nearly as much leaf damage as they did this year.
Alan_L
Posts: 2966
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:13 pm
Location info: 81
Location: St. Louis area

Re: Winter Kill

Post by Alan_L »

Very helpful! Here in the midwest we got more of that arctic blast than you did out east -- I've got very few green leaves left on any Phyllostachys, although most are leafing back out. I suspect dulcis is KTG (killed to ground, or "top killed"), and it looks like arcana was too, and rubromarginata. Rubro surprised me -- maybe it was less sheltered than others? But aureosulcata 'Spectablis' was right next to it and is re-leafing, so ?

Ph. virella -- which we've had some debate about here being another rubro form -- is 100% leafing back out, but maybe it was more sheltered.

Fargesia sp. 'Rufa' defoliated -- just a few green leaves left here and there on all of my plants. I've never seen this happen to Rufa before.

Our lows were -7F with strong winds for a few days, so this carnage was expected.
Post Reply