Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis':

Phyllostachys atrovaginata:

Phyllostachys bissetii:

New shoots comparison - 7 days ago and today:

Phyllostachys nuda:

My first shoots this year - Phyllostachys nuda:

Just great! I have read every word of your story!

Leo, thank you for the whole series of very informative posts!
I am in a zone 6B but with ocassional really cold winters, and lots of your descriptions apply to my situation.

All fall shoots are top-killed at my site (zone 6B, Poland). Both Fargesia Jiu, and Polystachys aureosulcata had some fall shoots last year, but they had no time to harden before winter. The lower parts, covered with mulch, lived and leafed out this year, though.

springtimeshoots wrote:Atrovaginata, Aureosulcata, Grey Henon, and Bissetii all grow well in OKC.

Also, Phyllostachys nuda as well.

The plain Peat Moss/Perlite mixture basically does not contain any nutrients, so Alan is right - add any regular soil, some natural fertilizer, maybe some sand to loosen up the mixture. I have not heard that you can overfertilize a bamboo with natural ingredients :D Privately, I use a mixture of a s...