Chimonocalamus pallens

[fredgpops]

Planted 3, 5 gal gen 2 in different zones. 5 sun/shade is definitely not correct. This species does not like much direct sun. Plants in 3 sun/shade are doing great. Rgds

[bambooweb]

Thanks.

[Tarzanus]

I can confirm that. They struggle in full sun, even with morning sun and afternoon shade. I placed one of them (that was hardly going in sunny location) under fargesia murieale where it's almost completely dark and it changed in just a couple of weeks from weak, severely damaged plant into dark green, large leaved and healthy bamboo.

I also noticed that they don't seem to have an issue with dry air and can tolerate being a bit on the dry side regarding the soil as well. I also noticed that perhaps they don't need dormancy during the winter. I kept some of them inside, in hot dry air (sometimes just slightly above 10% RH!) and they actually behaved OK. When they got outside, sun damaged them more than low humidity could during whole winter.
The plant that received dormancy cycle started shooting the same time and had put out roughly the same number of shoots - they were not larger nor smaller in diameter. They are still in very juvenile seedling stage at the moment so it proves nothing.

Fred, I don't know about how your seedlings are growing but I have fount that they are extremely delicate and are sizing-up extremely slowly. At one point I thought I had lost them all, but they bounced back. Wind managed to break practically all the shoots because it grows large leaves on very thin culms. Those with more sun exposure on the other hand, remained around 10 inches tall, have small leaves and are mostly curled whenever sun lights them. It sure is difficult to get pallens going.

Today I'll place my seedlings into different depths of shade. Not 50.

[fredgpops]

I have several now in the 3 1/2 ft range both in ground and potted. They have all been shooting pretty regularly for the last few months. I have about 30 potted and 3 in ground. Two in ground are in 1/2 sun/1/2 shade and doing great. One in a 4 or 5 sun zone is stunted and has a lot of leaf burn. One mistake I made early on was two transplant my 1 gals to 5 gals. The roots were not developed enough and several died or were stunted. I kept all my seedlings out of doors in shade and protected by trees.
Estimate they never saw a lower temp than 40F. One local person who got some of my seeds had 100% germination and has plants also in the 3 1/2 ft range. A couple of bamboo nurseries that I know of had super germination rate using their own seeds and have 4 to 5 ft plants. Tried to germinate some pallens seeds that I had kept refrigerated for a year and got zero to germinate. This vs about 90% germination rate right after flowering. Played with seeds from 4 other species from seed vendors and got two plants - shelf life obviously means everything. Try this out on a couple of your plants - grind up 3 aspirin (per plant) and scatter around the base of the plant and water. Rgds Fred

[Tarzanus]

Aspirin is great to trigger plant's defense system. I haven't done it yet, but I will try it with the most affected seedlings.

And one more question. You've had the mother-plant pallens bamboo. Was it ever exposed to full sun? How did it grow?

[fredgpops]

The mother got to 15ft with good shoot development in a 1/2 sun-1/2 shade area. A prolific and beautiful plant. I was staggered when it went to seed. It created k's of seeds. Looking forward to some handsome plants in the near future. Rgds Fred

[Tarzanus]

Finally getting some of the species characteristics. Nodal thorns emerging.

[Cooper12]

Finally getting some of the species characteristics. Nodal thorns emerging.

what is the coldest anyones Chimonocalamus have taken?

[Tarzanus]

0F this winter top-killed it completely. It's shooting again, so it looks like it managed to survive. Will keep it there for a year or two, then I'll find it another location in even more protected location.

[GreenStick]

Aspirin test link is great to trigger plant's defense system. I haven't done it yet, but I will try it with the most affected seedlings.

I read this somewhere else too. What are you supposed to do with the aspirin and how much are you supposed to use? I take it you just put it in a watering can with some water?

[Tarzanus]

Salicylic acid is stress induced plant hormone that triggers natural resistance to environmental stress and should also work against pathogens. I think adding it into water would do the trick. It might absorb through leaves when applied on foliage.
I'm sure the whole thing was researched already thoroughly and there might be a lot of info on the internet.