P.Shanghai 3

Other things that involve bamboo

Moderator: needmore

Joe Shmoe
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:33 am

P.Shanghai 3

Post by Joe Shmoe »

Hi,

Anyone know how P.Shanghai 3 is performing in the UK?

Looking to add a real-monster to my Vivax and Iridescens, and thought this might fit the bill ?


Regards
Joe
Markj
Posts: 906
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:42 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Gloucester, UK.

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Markj »

It's not lived up to the hype here, it seems to prefer warmer conditions than the Uk can provide- although the last two poor summers can't of helped. Others have outgrown it in the same conditions though.
Bamboo...Please note... This plant is seriously addictive and you may lose interest in other, less rewarding plants!
User avatar
Steve in France
Posts: 517
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:54 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Bethesda , Maryland , USA

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Steve in France »

Mark may have one of the bigger S3's in the UK , no one else posts pics and that's normally a clue to them not getting the performance they wish for. There are perhaps better Timber Bamboos for the UK , Parvifolia is one to consider as it sizes up fast. Prominens if you can find one maybe worth a try. It will depend on where you are in the UK as to what results you get. Ten years seems to be the average for getting to a giant size in Northern Europe. That's ten years with excellent care, ie: huge amounts of mulch , water and fert. Since Jos VDP has started doing mail order it maybe worth getting a Parvifolia. I love S3 and mine in France is doing well , not as well as it would be if I was there to feed it but the culms are at about two inches after 6 years.
If you have room for a few Timber size Bamboos then I'd get a few including vivax H Inversa and kwangsiensis .
As Mark says S3 may need a warmer climate, having said that it was one of the first Bamboos Jos got up to the 4 inch culm size. The biggest Bamboo in the UK as grown in what would be a compost heap, that's a great clue as to how it should be treated . I planted a Parvifolia at a friends house and it outgrew mine, mine was spoiled for water and mulch but the other one was growing on top of an old sewer pit, one would think that it would be too rich for a Bamboo , but no. David says Parvifolia is the greediest plant he has. I'm coming to the view that it's pretty hard to over feed a big Bamboo.
All the Best
Steve
Always experimenting to get Timber Bamboos Timber size :-)
Markj
Posts: 906
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:42 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Gloucester, UK.

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Markj »

Hey Steve- my #3 has just started shooting, you won't believe this but up till now the shoots have always been identical to Iridescens ( red brown ) but this year their totally different- it really is weird but they look more like....you know the one, it begins with D. :shock:

I'm just amazed TBH- will have to dig some old pics out and post alongside the new...It'll look like a different species.

So back to the drawing board for me on the true ID on this one :?:



For the UK, Dulcis would be my first choice- really is a good 'un and proven as well :mrgreen:
Bamboo...Please note... This plant is seriously addictive and you may lose interest in other, less rewarding plants!
Adam-uk
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:10 pm
Location info: 0
Location: SW Wales, UK
z8b

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Adam-uk »

I have to agree with markj and steve, after all the hype that surrounded shanghai 3 ive found it a little disappointing here, I planted a 12" plant from jos vpd, 2 years ago, and im guessing the shoots from this year will top out at 24", compared to my Prominens that was planted at the same time and size is reaching 6ft already with some nice chunky culms, it seems to be a faster sizer-uper, much like vivax.
So have to agree Prominens, parvifolia, kwangsiensis or one of the other vivax types will probably preform better! My only pet hate with parvifolia is that while my plant is still young and producing great 6 foot long shoots at they are all growing outwards not upwards still!!
Another chunky choice thats preformed really well for me is Chusquea gigantea, mine has gone from another rather small, foot tall plant, to a 10ft monster in just 2 years, shoots this year are 1.5" thick, compared to last years half inch, so expecting well over 15ft tall (fingers crossed)
User avatar
Steve in France
Posts: 517
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:54 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Bethesda , Maryland , USA

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Steve in France »

I saw a shoot of S3 at a friends place a couple of doors down from my place in France , and yes I gave him the plant. The shoot was almost black, never seen one like it, large and very dark. I guess it changes with age so it's hard to know what it is. Now Brad's growing it perhaps it will look different again. Strange plant that S3, lovely form fast grower in the right place , lots of divisions possible.
I'll try and give you a call tomorrow or one the weekend.
All the Best
Steve
p.s. I keep remembering Bamboos at your place, that special D I could use in France if you ever get a division and the selected seedling C and the Ganzu 2 Foxtail and the .... :D
Always experimenting to get Timber Bamboos Timber size :-)
User avatar
Steve in France
Posts: 517
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:54 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Bethesda , Maryland , USA

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Steve in France »

Parvifolia just seems to do that 45 degree thing, but not so much here. mine is upright after only two seasons. My plant in France seems to be upright now after 4 seasons. I think there are 3 clones of Parvifolia around and I'm wondering one or two of them get upright faster.
Beast Wishes
Always experimenting to get Timber Bamboos Timber size :-)
Joe Shmoe
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:33 am

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Joe Shmoe »

Cheers for all the words of experience - looks like Shanghai 3 wont be taking a place in my collection. :?

Adam - can't believe how quick your Gigantea is growing?!?! I brought a 3L with 3-4 spindly culms about 2ft high. I thought it would take years before I saw anything decent from it - but after your words, I'm hopefull itwill start to look quick impressive after just a few.

......Looks like it might be Parvifolia or Dulcis then 8) 8)
VanDell
Posts: 73
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:15 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Dortmund/Germany

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by VanDell »

Markij,

how is your Prominens performing? I was wondering a bit about what Adam-uk wrote:
"... seems to be a faster sizer-uper, much like vivax".
Over here in Germany Prominens needs quite a while to establish ...

Happy shooting-season!
VanDell


Pimp your garden - grow bamboo!
Adam-uk
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:10 pm
Location info: 0
Location: SW Wales, UK
z8b

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Adam-uk »

Joe Shmoe wrote:Cheers for all the words of experience - looks like Shanghai 3 wont be taking a place in my collection. :?

Adam - can't believe how quick your Gigantea is growing?!?! I brought a 3L with 3-4 spindly culms about 2ft high. I thought it would take years before I saw anything decent from it - but after your words, I'm hopefull itwill start to look quick impressive after just a few.

......Looks like it might be Parvifolia or Dulcis then 8) 8)
Yeah the gigantea has been a real pleasant surprise, ive put a pic of the shoots rising now, in the gallery. Makes me wish id taken a before and after photo from planting it out!
I have a small division of parvifolia i took last year, always happy to trade or give away!
User avatar
Steve in France
Posts: 517
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:54 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Bethesda , Maryland , USA

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Steve in France »

How did Shanghai 3 gets it's name you may ask, or not :D . Anyway , it was a Jos VDP order from China that came in a container, many of the plants in the container were not what he ordered, par for the course when dealing with China.
As the container was from Shanghai he started calling the unknowns Shanghai 1 , Shanghai 2 and so on . I think Shanghai 1 was renamed (Markj will remember) , Shanghai 2 was thought by Jos not to have a pleasing form and was sold as a large grove to a guy who wanted it. Shanghai 3 was the star of the show , sizing up fast and very very easy to propagate.
Shanghai 3 is still a mystery plant as too it's parents , so it still gets called Shanghai 3 . It has been said it's a Dulcis form and so on and so on , but last I heard it was still not for sure anything one could nail down.
More than you wanted to know perhaps but one does get asked.
Best Wishes
Steve
Always experimenting to get Timber Bamboos Timber size :-)
Markj
Posts: 906
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:42 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Gloucester, UK.

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Markj »

VanDell wrote:Markij,

how is your Prominens performing?
Hi Eric - doing Ok, no shoots yet but hopefully won't be long :D Sailed through what was a good old fashioned winter. Just got to see how it gets on with a English summer :roll:

Another vote for gigantea - outgrowing the Shanghai 3 by some margin :P

Image

Still trying to find some old pics of #3, will post as soon as...
Bamboo...Please note... This plant is seriously addictive and you may lose interest in other, less rewarding plants!
User avatar
needmore
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:14 pm
Location info: 0
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Kea'au, HI

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by needmore »

Unless he got rid of them, JvdP is holding 2 Prominens for me to replace 2 wrong species I got - anyone going over there is welcome to get them, I don't think I'll be importing again.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
Markj
Posts: 906
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:42 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Gloucester, UK.

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by Markj »

Heres' some pics taken today- Shanghai 3

Very Dulcis like at first glance.

Image


Image

But no developed sheath auricles or cilia :?:
Bamboo...Please note... This plant is seriously addictive and you may lose interest in other, less rewarding plants!
User avatar
needmore
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:14 pm
Location info: 0
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Kea'au, HI

Re: P.Shanghai 3

Post by needmore »

I envy your ability to grow the Chusquea genus, yours looks great.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
Post Reply