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I have a raised bed that runs along the side of the house; it is filled with 6 or 8 different species of tropical bamboo in semi-sunlight so as to block out the annoying neighbors, The Al Karr I bought @2 months back was planted in an area with a little bit of a gap. I watered it every day for the first two weeks or so like I do with all transplanted bamboo, and then I pretty much left it alone.

While outside there working today, I noticed that the new Alphonse Karr isn't doing too well: the patches of green leaves are few & far between. By virtue of these photos, might someone have any idea what's going on, and would you be able to offer some advice as to what I can do to revive it? Am I over-thinking it, and the bamboo will perk up once spring arrives?

Thanks!

Were all of those culms alive and full of leaves when you planted?

Hello Alan--

Yes they were....

It occurs to me this is a fungus...

Any suggestions as to how I remedy the problem? Will it spread to my other bamboo?

On my Dendrocalamus Minor Amoenus (that is @50 yds away from this Alphonse Karr) I do note that while the newer growth looks great, the smaller, older culms in the center are turning black. Is this likely to spread? Do I spray with neem oil? Do I cut the affected culms out altogether?

Thanks!

Seems weird, if neem works on fungus I'd spray for sure, if the culms covered with it could be removed w/o taking too much of the clump, I'd do that too. I'll go check my neem label and see what it says...says it stops powdery mildew in 24 hours, I've sprayed it on gardenia out here for that and I can not say if it helped or not, the black ick remained.

I've seen similar (or same) damage on my bamboos as well, but not nearly as much as on your photos. I think I'll try using some kind of fungicide to treat them. Especially if the weather remains wet and shitty like it was last 4 months. (and each and every spring/early summer for the last 6 years).

Original poster here. The Alphonse Karr finally gave up the ghost; I pulled out the dead clump today. This one remains a mystery, as I am in a hot, humid spot on an island in zone 10a where I have had excellent results growing tropical bamboo (excepting salt water inundation, though that was not a factor here).

Weird, I hope none of your others display the same thing.