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Pavifolia different strategy

Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 2:04 pm
by Rotas
I got 2 Parvifolia plants this spring that was exactly the same size (1 culm on each plant). When shooting it looks like they use 2 different strategys. One is shooting like crazy - counted to 8 new shoots with slightly bigger culms but most growing out in 45 angle.
The other plant it only shooting 2 new shoots - 1 really big culm that is growing straight up.
Shall be fun to see what plant will do most upsize the coming years.
Has anyone noticed this behavor with Parvifolia before?

Re: Pavifolia different strategy

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 12:22 am
by pokenei
From my observation, smaller parvifolias tend to produce angled shoots. Once it has enough power, it will tend to produce larger shoots that are more upright. Larger shoots will grow taller and thus requires more stored energy, so there wouldn't be too many of those unless your grove is sufficiently thick.

Everyone of my relatives especially my dad are making uninformed comments like to trim the bamboo back because they're too bushy and growing out of place. Well, my backyard do have limited space, but trimming them will just promote more angled and smallish shoots and that's not what I or most of us want. My goal is to have the largest/tallest bamboo possible for my area, and that means sacrificing the esthetics for now, waiting for the future glories. When I am satisfied with the sizes, then I'll start trimming back the smaller and older bamboo bushes.

Re: Pavifolia different strategy

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 1:50 pm
by needmore
I posted earlier this spring how some Phyllostachys plantings - not just parvifolia, seem to either produce a flush of slightly upsized shoots or only a couple much larger ones. I don't know that it is species specific it may be?

Re: Pavifolia different strategy

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 12:40 am
by johnw
Oddly my P. parvifolia is producing 2 very large shoots and maybe a half dozen medium ones. Despite the cool spring with a few warm days the nights stay cool and yet it is the best all-round shooting season ever. However this may be due more to the age of the plants than the weather. Some did their shooting much earlier than is usual, notably P. atrovaginata, each of the P. aureosulcata selections have an extravagant number of shoots between 12-15ft.+ tall.

Have a hard time getting Bashania fargesii going, it was fine in year one. Not one I want to lose as it's so hard to source. Borinda yulongshanensis looking much better in bright shade.

john - only 18c today with a low last night of 12c (53F), not exactly Thai basil weather............

Re: Pavifolia different strategy

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:12 am
by Rotas
I also have Nigra, Spectabilis, Atrovaginata but I have only seen this behavour in Parvifolia here.
But im also new to bamboo so maybe this is a common strategy with Phyllostachys.

There is report in Swedish bamboo forum about Bashania fargesii that it has start to flower.
So far only one report 2weeks ago but maybe you can check so this is not the problem?

Re: Pavifolia different strategy

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 2:13 pm
by johnw
Well good and bad news re: Bashania fargesii. Do the Swedish forumists say how much sun or shade the Bashania wants?

It would be good to find a source of seed in Sweden if you find one.

john