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Arundo donax unknown variegated type

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 3:49 pm
by Tarzanus
I bought 3 Varieagted Arundo donax plants that were in very bad condition. Two of them hardly survived the winter and they took long in the spring to get going. Well one is still ratty, because it got completely shaded in the mean time by new shoots of Phyllostachys Aureosulcata Spectabilis, but one of them really started to enjoy the wet weather. Looks like thumb size shoot is starting to emerge.
IMG_20140802_140505.jpg
It doesn't seem to be classic Arundo donax variegata, because it didn't turn into all-green form during the summer. It's actually even more variegated now than when it's first leaves emerged in the spring. I hope I don't loose it - it looks great and will hopefully be able to drain the standing water. :mrgreen:

Re: Arundo donax unknown variegated type

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 5:52 pm
by johnw
Hey Tarzanus, the variegated Arundo donax doesn't turn green at any time here in the Z6 of Nova Scotia. Haven't heard anyone mention that before. Then again I haven't seen that pink in the variegation before; could that be due the late shooting?

johnw

Re: Arundo donax unknown variegated type

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 10:10 am
by Tarzanus
All shoots appear pink and during the spring, even leaves remain pink for a while - well, the white parts. I've read that it reverts to all green when summer arrives and is only variegated during the spring. There is another variegated version, called Peppermint stick, that keeps variegation during whole year. I guess it's Arundo donax 'Peppermint stick' then. :)

The pink color is going to fade out in a week or two, when it gets taller. I think only a couple of protective sheaths will appear pink, after that they are usually pink around edges and then it fades completely. It must be cold related, when it's cold, the pink color will remain as plant grows and even appear on some existing leaves (I noticed that last autumn). Bamboos, especially variegated versions often do the same. Shiroshima for example.

Re: Arundo donax unknown variegated type

Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 7:17 am
by Tarzanus
And even larger one emerging. Problem is, that we don't just have wet weather it also got quite cold and more springlike than late summer. Temps in the morning are around 10C and daily highs around 20C. If it doesn't warm up, these new shoots won't get far.

Image

Re: Arundo donax unknown variegated type

Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 1:14 pm
by johnw
On my Arundo donax variegated I had a shoot that was half the size of all the others - i.e. leaf width and height. It looked a bit like ribbon grass. Have you seen this before Tarzanus? I should have snapped a picture before I tossed that shoot.

Re: Arundo donax unknown variegated type

Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 3:55 pm
by needmore
The two forms I have are still variegated.

Re: Arundo donax unknown variegated type

Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 4:30 pm
by Tarzanus
johnw
I did see it. Cold damage killed off the cane, but not completely. At the nodes it created thin branches that were like you described. They were in a bit shaded location so they remained thin and they really had thin and long (just because they were so thin I guess) leaves, compared to other shoots. If shoot would get somehow retarded due to cold and would later decide to grow again, I'm sure it would look like ribbon grass bush.

needmore
So there are varieties with stable variegation. I noticed most of the posts on the internet said it looses the variegation during the summer and hoped I received the 'Peppermint stick' version that was supposed to remain variegated. If you have two forms, there are even more. What's the difference between your two forms? Can I ID the plant I've got?

Re: Arundo donax unknown variegated type

Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 5:06 pm
by needmore
I forget the names of mine but can find them somewhere, one is bright white and green, the other is buttery yellow and green, the yellow one seems to have less green.