As you may know, I grow many different varieties of bamboo in my garden. Most of it is running bamboo, and all of the species I grow produce new shoots in the spring. Bamboo shooting season (as we like to call it) is an exciting time, with new surprises every day.
In my
ongoing efforts to share my excitement with you, I offer another series of photos that I hope captures some of the beauty I see when looking at the bamboo shoots and newly-emerged culms.
The colors, textures, and details of the shoots are so fascinating to me, and the colors of the newly-exposed culms are so fresh and vibrant -- I can (and do) look at them several times a day. These shoots grow fast, so there's always something new to see, but you need to get up close.
So let's take a look...
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis' |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' (I think) |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' |
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| Phyllostachys nigra |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata ("Yellow Groove") |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata ("Yellow Groove") |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' |
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| Phyllostachys nigra |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis' |
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| Phyllostachys bissetii |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis' |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' |
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| Bashania fargesii |
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| Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis' |
We've been getting a lot of rain in St. Louis recently, which bamboo
loves when shooting. A plant that had no shoots in the evening could have a dozen of them poking through the mulch the morning after a night of heavy rain. That's why I end up walking through my garden several times a day, checking for activity. Not knowing where or when the shoots will appear, how many there will be, and what size they will be makes bamboo one of the most mysterious, exciting, and rewarding plants to grow.
Are you getting excited about bamboo yet?
For more beautiful, artistic photos of bamboo, check out
ocimum_nate's photos on Flickr. Nate grows bamboo in the challenging high desert climate of Utah. Beautiful images!
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There is something specially appealing about stripey stems.
Lucy
Alan, your photographs really capture the beauty and mystery of shooting season. Love it.
Yes, I am - I have one and need more! Where to put it, thats the question!
You could always just keep a bamboo potted indefinitely, especially the running bamboos which are easy to divide up.
I hope to see shoots start coming up in maybe 2 weeks or so. I'm surprised my top-killed moso is not shooting yet. That one usually shoots shortly after rufa.
I like bamboos but know that certain species can grow by several feet each day. It's quite scary. There is a lot of pruning involved. Perhaps in your seasonal weather, they may not grow as fast.
Christine: I think your winters are mild enough that you can grow clumping species. Since many of those get really big (even though they don't spread very far) maybe Steve's suggestion is the right one: put it in a pot for at least a couple of years.
One: why is it scary?
Great photos. I love dew on the garden. Your bamboo looks beautiful. Our garden sadly isn't really big enough for bamboo.
Very pretty shots and they are so varied in color and texture.