Does cold weather cause culm color change?

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Eric Layton
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Location: Layton, Utah. High Desert Zone 6.

Does cold weather cause culm color change?

Post by Eric Layton »

I have been waiting all year for my Semiarundinaria makinoi to show its characteristic red coloring. The picture is of a first year culm with a full sun exposure. It is only now that the nights have been dipping into the cooler temperatures that the coloring is getting deeper. So it appears that it is the cooler temperatures rather than the sun exposure that brings out the color change. However, only the side facing the sun is turning red, so could both sun and cold be needed? Any thoughts or experience? Eric

Appologies for the picture quality, they were quickly taken on my way out the door to work this morning.

Semiarundinaria makinoi with natural overcast lighting. Click on thumbnail to enlarge.
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Semiarundinaria makinoi with flash lighting. Click on thumbnail to enlarge.
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Markj
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Location: Gloucester, UK.

Post by Markj »

I'm not sure either, but my plant is exactly how you describe, a tint on the sunny side only, everything out of the sun is just green.

Markj
Bamboo...Please note... This plant is seriously addictive and you may lose interest in other, less rewarding plants!
fredgpops
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Location: plus 700ft in the Santa Cruz Mtns, 8 miles from the Pacific
35 miles S. of San Jose

Post by fredgpops »

My spectabilis turns a rose color in the winter but it is caused by the location level of the sun during that time of year.
Thuja
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Location: Wisconsin, USA zone 4b;
1951: -37*F;
1996: -29*F;
2005: -10*F;
2006: -17*F;
2007: -17*F.

nuda

Post by Thuja »

I notice very dark culms on nuda. Seems to correspond with cold weather or maybe young culms.
<img src="http://www.bambooweb.info/images/bamboo ... Large).JPG" alt="PHYLLOSTACHYS nuda ">
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