Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charleston

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erm1981
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Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charleston

Post by erm1981 »

Greetings Guys,

I dont post on the forum much but do a lot of research, reading, and growing of bamboo (mainly larger types). I grew up around Anderson, SC and when I was younger discovered the nice grove at Silverbrook cemetery. Ive since participated in some clean ups and gotten permission to dig some nice specimens from the groves on the other side of the cemetery where they dont want them getting into the graves that much. I moved to Charleston 3 years ago and have a house there but come up to visit my parents frequently who now have some small bamboo groves growing on their property thanks to me(chuckles).

I did a mass moso bamboo seed planting back in 2001 from thousands of seeds and got about 3 plants that I thought were head and shoulders above the rest. Those same plants have now gotten about 12-15 feet tall and are growing like crazy (1" diameter). I also have a vivax aureocaulis, regular vivax, and regular Anderson moso grove growing on their land. I started a small seedling at my house in Charleston and it seems to like the extreme humidity there. I planted a bambusa oldhamii along with it and it survived the winter without being killed (Charleston is mostly zone 8b but now with the new climate map some parts of Charleston/Mount Pleasant are in zone 9a).

Im have some seedlings i bought from tropical bamboo in my apartment i will post some pictures of. They are a Bambusa Textilis and a Dendrocalamus Parker Giant. The Parker Giant will probably kill over but it might make it in my 8b/9a zone. Ive heard reports of it surviving 24 F and it has not gotten under 26 F in Charleston for the past 3 years. There must be a warming trend going on world wide.

Anyway enjoy the following pics. The pics of the really large Moso are from Silverbrook Cemetery in Anderson, SC and I noticed this year there were multiple 5"+ canes came up mainly from the large amounts of rain we had. The smaller bamboo are the moso seedlings I planted on a creek bank at my parents house who also live in Anderson, SC. The ones out front in my parents yard are a small Vivax grove we started 6 or 7 years ago and the canes are now getting 3" diameter now.

Just to wow and inspire some of you guys growing moso in different parts of the country I have attached a picture of a piece of moso I cut down that had been broken by the wind standing beside a milk jug for comparison. I have not seen moso get this big anywhere else in the country (7" or 8"). I think the climate and soil in Anderson, SC are more like what is found in native China here than in other parts of the country.

I want to jump that chain length fence to get in there and measure some of this years offerings. Dang barriers..................... ;-)

Enjoy.........
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Milk Jug comparison to large moso I found at Anderson, SC.  This was broken culm so dont worry ;-).  At parents house in Anderson, SC
Milk Jug comparison to large moso I found at Anderson, SC. This was broken culm so dont worry ;-). At parents house in Anderson, SC
Two large 5"+ canes in Anderson, SC Moso Grove.
Two large 5"+ canes in Anderson, SC Moso Grove.
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terrabamboo
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by terrabamboo »

I don't see the rest of the pics... now you got me interested!! Only two came across and both looked like not your groves--
Terra Bamboo
300 acre Bamboo Plantation Project
Focusing on Henon, Moso, Robert Young, Rubro, Vivax and Fargesia
pokenei
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by pokenei »

You can climb those... definitely strong enough to support any man.
erm1981
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by erm1981 »

Here are some more pics......the really large moso is at Anderson, SC and was taken this year. Quite a bit of sizing up has taken place from all the rain we have had in the past few years. The largest canes are no longer located in the main grove that gets cleaned up every year.
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Looking into this "other" grove you can see some quite large specimens have risen this year.
Looking into this "other" grove you can see some quite large specimens have risen this year.
Me standing beside a smaller cane
Me standing beside a smaller cane
dad ;-)
dad ;-)
erm1981
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by erm1981 »

Here are some more pics at my parents house. Grove of Vivax has sized up well over the past few years (3"+ culms are now coming up)
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Moso seedlings I started back in 2001 but have been stunted a bit from being transplanted a good bit.  Very vigorous growers.
Moso seedlings I started back in 2001 but have been stunted a bit from being transplanted a good bit. Very vigorous growers.
More Vivax
More Vivax
Vivax
Vivax
erm1981
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by erm1981 »

Im experimenting down on the coast in one of the warmer parts of South Carolina - Charleston, SC (8b/9a). Plan on putting some Bambusa textilis 'kanapha' , and Dendrocalamus Parker Giant in the ground to see how they do. The parker giant will probably kill over but its worth a try. Here are some pics of the babies.....Again i know im probably taking a biggggg rriiisskkkk with the parker giant but I will let you know how it does through the summer and if it makes it through our mild winter......keep fingers crossed ;-)
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Parker Giant - Dendrocalamus
Parker Giant - Dendrocalamus
textilis Kanapha- Bambusa
textilis Kanapha- Bambusa
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by needmore »

Nice work!
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
erm1981
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by erm1981 »

That Anderson Moso grove is very nice and peaceful. Thanks!
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by Iowaboo »

cool pics, looks like a more ideal climate than mine for bamboo
erm1981
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by erm1981 »

I think it's fun to test the limit with some of the bamboo to see how they handle cold stress. I notice my young seedlings were fragile at first to frost up in 7b but they have hardened off now to where the weather does not affect them.
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by JWH »

Wow! Huge culms!

It reminds me of being in the bamboo forest at Six Flags over Georgia, but that was 10 years ago, wonder what it looks like now? Hopefully it's still there!

Great photos! Thanks for posting em!
erm1981
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by erm1981 »

thanks guys.
erm1981
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by erm1981 »

Here are some pics of my:

Bambusa oldhamii (tiny baby ;-))
Bambusa textilis 'kanapha' (putting up new shoot)
Dendrocalamus 'parker giant" (this one will probably suffer when it gets winter and I know im taking a chance with it. I was shocked to see this new shoot poking up that looks to be bigger than the other two culms).
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parker giant
parker giant
bambusa textilis kanapha
bambusa textilis kanapha
bambusa oldhamii
bambusa oldhamii
erm1981
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by erm1981 »

small parker giant shoot coming up.
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parkergiantshoot2013spring.jpeg
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Re: Bamboo - The South Carolina Way -From Anderson to Charle

Post by Leo S »

I'm having an attack of "Climate Zone Envy".

Nice photos, thanks
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