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Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 8:22 pm
by stevelau1911
I have around 20 potential divisions of it, and I'm actually getting getting it all, out, perhaps only keeping a potted specimen of it.

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 5:03 am
by needmore
Steve, why are you getting rid of it? This year it produced my largest culms and can form such a beautiful grove for your zone...

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 5:23 am
by stevelau1911
It's spreading way too quickly, and producing way too many culms in comparison to everything else I grow, and even though I have a broad fork that can rhizome prune fairly easily, I just don't feel like doing it. I'm also finding that new rhizomes can produce shoots almost right away as they only take a few weeks to mature after having run through an area. I have a decent amount of space, but really don't want it taken over by 1 bamboo.

Even though I turned some rhizomes into whips last fall, it still managed to send out a 9 foot rhizome in November which actually crossed into my neighbor's yard. They grow fairly shallow, and are fairly easy to rip out by hand, but it gets tougher to maintain when I get 20-30 of these guys running 15-20ft which is very possible with this year's rainfall. It just doesn't seem to have the limitations that I've seen with most of my other species. I really underestimated it because it was a yellow version of a bamboo which I had always thought should be weaker.

It may be worthwhile if I was growing on a huge farm with plenty of acres, but not here.

I prefer growing bamboos that I don't have to rhizome prune.

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 11:49 am
by canadianplant
Lawn mow around where you dont want the culms?

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 3:52 pm
by Alan_L
stevelau1911 wrote:I prefer growing bamboos that I don't have to rhizome prune.
Don't you think you'll have to do this to *all* of your Phyllostachys at some time? Even if they only spread 3' a year, you'll eventually need to limit them some way.

I know how you feel though: way too many species for the space, and you have to make some tough decisions. I'm not sure that dumping 'Spectabilis' while keeping Moso 'bicolor' is the best one though.

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 9:56 pm
by stevelau1911
I would rather pamper a bamboo to get it to thrive and spread instead of rhizome pruning several times a year just to keep a bamboo under control, and spectabilis is far too aggressive to stay in the ground here. Some species such as dulcis simply won't spread any more than 1 to 2ft per year, but it looks like this one would take over some serious space if I left it alone for 1 season.

Moso cultivators are likely to get a good amount of leaf burn which would cause them to expend lots of energy releafing. The rhizomes are up to 1 inch in diameter so there will be nowhere close to the number of rhizomes or length that you would expect from an untamed spectabilis.

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 10:05 pm
by needmore
Why not just dig a big hunk and put it in a raised bed and don't rhizome prune? I think that over time it would end up as one of your best/largest bamboo, has Ms. Rickel gotten to you? :bom:

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 10:47 pm
by Alan_L
stevelau1911 wrote:...The rhizomes are up to 1 inch in diameter so there will be nowhere close to the number of rhizomes or length that you would expect from an untamed spectabilis.
Why do you think there's a correlation between these? Using that logic the Pleios and Sasas should run 60 ft. a year with those tiny rhizomes! :)

I find it hard to believe that it's effort you're concerned about, as you're constantly exploring for rhizomes, making divisions, tarping, moving water jugs around, aerating, etc. You don't strike me as a lazy gardener. :) If you're concerned about rhizome pruning effort, dig a trench and make it easy from now on.

I think you'll be denying yourself a very rewarding bamboo if you remove the Spectabilis. Mine sized up much faster than YG or 'Aureocaulis'. (Is that the plant you got from me? If so, I got mine from Brad, so we're all talking about the exact same clone.)

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 2:20 am
by stevelau1911
I might get it to some local growers here too, but I just happen to prefer the bamboos that need to be pampered and fed well in order to do well as opposed to the ones that are overly powerful. I know spectabilis may have the potential to break 2 inches in diameter, but so do pretty much every other bamboo I have in the ground given enough time.

I intend to put one of the huge shanghai IIIs in the spot. I also don't grow bamboos all over the place either because I like to reserve spaces for other plants.

I've taken out nearly a dozen bamboos in the past to keep as potted specimens simply because I found bamboos that may fit my needs a lot better. Shanghai III may have the risk of leaf burning more than spectabilis, but I prefer its overall shape, growth habit, and appearance.

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 3:40 am
by terrabamboo
I will take as many as you can send me. What is the best way for shipping all 20?

I have 100 acres designated for bamboo. This would make short order of a 15 acre parcel I was going to plant a random local 3" dia species a neighbor was offering me (I couldn't get pics of shoots this year :( ) but spectabilis would be gorgeous spread over 15 acres.


PM me logistics/$$.

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 3:41 am
by needmore
[quote="stevelau1911"...I've taken out nearly a dozen bamboos in the past to keep as potted specimens simply because I found bamboos that may fit my needs a lot better. Shanghai III may have the risk of leaf burning more than spectabilis, but I prefer its overall shape, growth habit, and appearance.[/quote]

Well there ya go, that is all that matters, you gotta plant what your brain likes to see. For my brain I would kill off around 150 species I have before I'd cut out my Spectabilis and I've got 24' tall Shanghai 3 already but it would have to go before Spectabilis.

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 7:30 am
by Tarzanus
Spectabilis had shown fantastic performance for me too. I'd rather toss away any other plant. :wink:
I can't wait to see its next spring's performance. :D

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 3:32 am
by stevelau1911
I did move the spectabilis grove out which was surprisingly easy as it took no more than 5 minutes to get the whole thing out out the ground, and another 10 minutes to cut it into manageable sections. Here are some pictures showing the whole thing. All the tools I used are shown in the pictures.

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Here's where I stored them.
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I took one of them to pot up as a sample.
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I then put my shanghai III division in right away. Hopefully it will upsize quick enough because it will be tough for it to get light once the parvifolia gets taller than 30ft.
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Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:03 am
by Tarzanus
Where are the rhizomes? I only see a couple of them on your photos. I'm fighting voles and my Spectabilis is one of vole-proof plants. Wherever I dig around it, I find massive rhizomes that will most likely surprise me next spring at least as much as they surprised me this year. Regarding voles, I'm not sure if the rhizomes are poisonous, too woody or just too numerous, they make a tunnel next to the rhizome without touching it. On the other hand, They just love Pseudosasa japonica which got nearly eradicated.

Keep one potted Spectabilis! It may come handy if you ever decide to add it to your garden again.

Re: Anyone need my aureosulcata spectabilis?

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:18 pm
by needmore
Are you sure the new one is S3? Looks like prominent nodes there, more like prominens.