Chimonobambusa marmorea, survival shoots in April?!

[moriphen]

This is so unlike this bamboo in the 4 years its been in the ground, it has never top killed and attempt to shoot so early. Normal behavior involves releafing/branching from viable nodes in June and shooting in October. Anyone else experience this with sub tropical runners?

[moriphen]

More shoots 1 month after survival shoots leafed out.

[ShmuBamboo]

Yes, all three of my marbled boos are doing the same thing this year. One was almost completely top killed, and 2 others were 1/3 leaf killed. They all threw up shoots in March with the Fargesias. Same with my square stem, which was almost completely top killed. It is throwing up a few culms now in May. Seems to be the way they respond to cutting or top kill. My guess is that it is in response to lack of an auxins produced by healthy culms that prevent shooting. That is how central leaders in most plants prevent side shoots from growing. Cut the tip and the auxiliary buds will branch out.

[moriphen]

ShmuBamboo, that behavior makes complete sense I'll await next years cycle to see if its simply a response to top kill.