How to know if bamboo will die to ground from cold?

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morebamboo
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How to know if bamboo will die to ground from cold?

Post by morebamboo »

I have Spectabilis and it went thru the Christmas cold here in zone 7A of temps just below zero F. The leaves are yellow and half brown and defloliated at top. The canes still have color but some have a black streak. Will these re leaf out or die to ground?
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dependable
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Re: How to know if bamboo will die to ground from cold?

Post by dependable »

They look pretty beat up, but I doubt they will be killed to ground. If there were no green leaves at all, killed to ground would be more likely, though not assured. Spectablis should be able to take that temp, but the the wind at lower temps kills the leaves.

You may find the tops of some of the taller culms will not refoliate next summer.
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bayarea41
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Re: How to know if bamboo will die to ground from cold?

Post by bayarea41 »

So a few months later, did most of your Spectabilis end up fine?

I have some, but my zone is not as cold.
dependable
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Re: How to know if bamboo will die to ground from cold?

Post by dependable »

It mostly looks OK, plenty of new shoots too. Some of the older culms probably had more of a die off than normal, and some of the taller, more exposed ones did not re foliate up to the top.
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