Phyllostachys i.d.

johnw · Post by **johnw** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:24 pm

I was terrorizing nurseries today and came across four small plants without labels. The source was Costa Farms in Goulds, Florida according to the sticker on one of the pots, I assume these were divisions from one big plant in the labelled pot. It was a variegated Phyllostachys and assume it is a tender one given the possible source. I kept my distance as best I could as I spotted what appears to be mite damage, good hand-washing later. Any ideas?

Two more pix to follow.

johnw

johnw · Post by **johnw** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:28 pm

And the last two photos of the same plant.

johnw

Post by **needmore** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:24 pm

Give it the 'upculm' rub (assuming a full sulcus on the culms to ensure a Phy) - rough texture, one of the aureosulcata clan; smooth texture think yellow form bambusoides or viridis Robert Young for starters.

johnw · Post by **johnw** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:02 pm

Brad - The sulcus was not terribly deep, how shall I put it "just perceptible" by touch. The culms were ultra smooth on this variegated one.

johnw

Post by **needmore** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:09 pm

If it is smooth on the upculm rub, then eliminate the aureosulcata clan; if it is yellow at sheath fall eliminate Robert Young; if there is no green striping then the suspect narrows to perhaps bambusoides allgold - I think it looks too greenish-yellow to be a vivax clan member; Sem yashadake 'Kimmei' would be smooth, and have a partial sulcus but nearly a full one. I'd though, suspect the bambusoides.

johnw · Post by **johnw** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:32 pm

Super job!

Thanks

john

johnw · Post by **johnw** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 10:36 pm

See the original post first. So it's back to the drawing board on this one. The labels on the pots as mentioned said "Costa Farms in Goulds, Florida". However I spoke to the nurseryman here today and he said oh ignore those labels there were some tropicals in these pots before I planted the bamboos in them!

In fact he got these divisons from a fellow who owns a house in Halifax and it is up past the 2nd floor of the house; unfortunately that fellow lives 45 minutes away in another town. He did not know which genus or species it was. On all but one the poor original canes with variegated leaves have died but very weak small non-variegated shoots have replaced them. No variegation to be seen so that must have been stress-induced. Culms were smooth and again cream-coloured. The congested internodes close to the ground were the only other notable feature. By the way they do have quite deep sulci on these new canes.

Now to track down the owner and swing by and take pix of the big plant - I am expecting the size to be a bit of an exaggeration, but we shall see.

If anyone would like to take another shot at an i.d. until I get that pic do jump into the fire.

johnw

Nicholas · Post by **Nicholas** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 7:45 am

If it has congested Internodes maybe you are looking at Ph. aurea 'Holochrysa' ?

Just guessing here

Greetings from Austria

johnw · Post by **johnw** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:24 pm

Nicholas - Viel dank.

I too have been thinking P. aurea.

The Halifax clump has been moved to the colder Annapolis Valley according to the owner. The laest news - it has never been taller than 1-1.5m, its leaves burn off in late March and all the culms are dead by April no matter how mild the winter. Still it had sent out 5 meter rhizomes in Halifax which surprises me - in the 1970's, when I tried aurea, it barely got through any winter and died within a year or two.

I have been invited to see it so will post pictures soon.

johnw

johnw · Post by **johnw** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:23 am

We'll we visited this mystery Phyllostachys today. There were three small clumps in the garden and 2 small clumps in the parking lot of the restaurant they run.

We spoke the fellow's wife this time. She said the Phyllo had indeed reached 25ft in Halifax and it had mostly frozen back every winter. Yes the whole thing was moved their new residence in the Annapolis Valley and they had never gotten higher tham 3-4ft but they had been repeatedly moved around or divided.

Here are three shots of leaves. I suspect the variegation on some is stress related due the dividing and moving.

johnw

johnw · Post by **johnw** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:27 am

Here you can see the new canes are pink tinged.

Bounced twice while uploading.

johnw

johnw · Post by **johnw** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:31 am

And here some larger canes. None were over 6ft tall.

The canes were rough to the touch when rubbing up and slightly less rough when rubbing down on them. There is no sign of congested internodes on these seen today. As reported earlier the first ones seen at the start of this thread were very slick so I have ignored that and the congested internodes and am now thinking this is P. aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis'. Is that known to be slightly less hardy than the other aureosulcatas?

Thoughts on the i.d.?

johnw

johnw · Post by **johnw** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:38 am

P.S. She very kindly gave us the biggest of the clumps as she said was in the way, the move so far seems to have gone well despite it being stinking hot. The humidity was almost unbearable and if it continues for a few more days we may just get away with digging at this time of year. Potted immediately in a 7 gallon pot in a nice airy mix and placed in the shade.

They had some very nice patches of Rufas throughout the garden and we left a nitida for them.

johnw

Nicholas · Post by **Nicholas** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 7:53 am

johnw wrote:And here some larger canes. None were over 6ft tall.

The canes were rough to the touch when rubbing up and slightly less rough when rubbing down on them. There is no sign of congested internodes on these seen today. As reported earlier the first ones seen at the start of this thread were very slick so I have ignored that and the congested internodes and am now thinking this is P. aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis'. Is that known to be slightly less hardy than the other aureosulcatas?

Thoughts on the i.d.?

johnw

On my Aureocaulis not all internodes are perceptibly rough to the touch so I guess as long as you can feel it on some canes it could put the plant in the aureosulcata family.

Fred Vaupel claims that from his experience aureosulcata Aureocaulis is the "hardiest" type of Phyllostachys (http://www.bambus-lexikon.de/bambus-aur ... aulis.html (German))

I suppose there are many factors contributing to hardiness including variances between individual clones. From the general tenor regarding tissue culture this could also have an adverse effect on hardiness if the plant was propagated in such a manner. My Aureocaulis probably stem from tissue culture. It is interesting as they seem to be very prone to mutations. I've had one revert to a green form while the other plant is sporting yellowish aureosulcata culms (yellow sulcus) as well as the Aureocaulis form with random green striping on quite a few internodes.

Greetings,

Nicholas

tncry · Post by **tncry** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 11:36 am

Aureocaulis for sure. The pink culms and random striping on the leaves settles it.
It's no less hardy than the others in the aureosulcata clan in PEI. It has maintained a lot of green leaves with no protection even as a juvenile plant.

TC