Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

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mountainbamboonut
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Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by mountainbamboonut »

Has anyone ever seen bamboo or heard of anyone growing bamboo in Northern Idaho, like around CDA area or greater Spokane?

I don't even know if any Phyllos exist that would make it there but curious. The furthest north I've personally seen running bamboo is the nursery in Horseshoe Bend outside Boise but that is it. Maybe bissetti could make it there?

Even in Spokane's cool Japanese Garden in Manito Park there isn't a stem of bamboo. Hmm, just curious.
Cooper12
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by Cooper12 »

I'm not sure but we may be looking around Horse Shoe Bend or Boise at some point. Zone 7A or 6B seems like theres a fair amount that can be grown there.
Jason Floyd
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thebambooguy
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by thebambooguy »

Well I live about 10kms from the Idaho border in Canada in the Kootenays and I have 10 species of bamboo growing outside so depending on how open the area you want to grow your bamboo is I'm sure you could grow something!
mountainbamboonut
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by mountainbamboonut »

Interesting, can I ask what you are growing there? Also, does it all get top-killed? I had no idea that was possible there. Thanks!
thebambooguy
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by thebambooguy »

mountainbamboonut wrote:Interesting, can I ask what you are growing there? Also, does it all get top-killed? I had no idea that was possible there. Thanks!
Sure the plants I have in the ground right now are,

Fargesia dracocephala 'Rufa'
Fargesia robusta
Phyllostachys bissetii
Phyllostachys dulcis
Phyllostachys nigra
Phyllostachys nigra 'Henon'
Phyllostachys nuda
Phyllostachys vivax 'Aureocaulis'
Semiarundinaria fastuosa
(I forgot I didn't plant my Moso seedlings in the ground yet)

Some years top kill is worse than others the first year I had my Nigra nearly every leaf stayed green and healthy.
Cooper12
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by Cooper12 »

wow I'm surprised the nigra live there. I'd also try Prominens and Parvifolia if i was up there
Jason Floyd
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thebambooguy
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by thebambooguy »

Cooper12 wrote:wow I'm surprised the nigra live there. I'd also try Prominens and Parvifolia if i was up there
thanks for the suggestion! the only thing that holds me back from getting more boos is my wallet :( haha but I'll be sure to add them to the list of interest.
the next ones I'm looking for are Nigra Bory and Atrovaginata.
mountainbamboonut
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by mountainbamboonut »

I can't believe black makes it there. I would think Bissetti does well? Of the kinds you grow can you say which ones if any stay green through a winter consistently without getting fried?
thebambooguy
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by thebambooguy »

mountainbamboonut wrote:I can't believe black makes it there. I would think Bissetti does well? Of the kinds you grow can you say which ones if any stay green through a winter consistently without getting fried?
Honestly my black bamboo is still completely green from what I remember... I'll have to check up on it again though. Infact I think they're all pretty much green this year exept the vivax, I think it had some die back and to make matters worse I had to move them to where they are now in early November... so it's a miracle they're doing aswell as they are, even if I did mulch the heck out of them.

Wouldn't Nuda do the best? It's supposed to be quite hardy
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needmore
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by needmore »

Does your Phy nigra have black culms? Nuda hates cold wind when young and can be very slow to establish, Bissetii and Aureosulcata forms are faster to establish.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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thebambooguy
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by thebambooguy »

needmore wrote:Does your Phy nigra have black culms? Nuda hates cold wind when young and can be very slow to establish, Bissetii and Aureosulcata forms are faster to establish.
Yes it does have black culms. I've noticed that my Nuda is taking a very long time to do anything... At least It's comforting to know that it's supposed to take a long time.
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by springtimeshoots »

thebambooguy wrote:
mountainbamboonut wrote:I can't believe black makes it there. I would think Bissetti does well? Of the kinds you grow can you say which ones if any stay green through a winter consistently without getting fried?
Honestly my black bamboo is still completely green from what I remember... I'll have to check up on it again though. Infact I think they're all pretty much green this year exept the vivax, I think it had some die back and to make matters worse I had to move them to where they are now in early November... so it's a miracle they're doing aswell as they are, even if I did mulch the heck out of them.

Wouldn't Nuda do the best? It's supposed to be quite hardy
How about you pot them up and send it to us, plz. :D

Nigra 'Black' is usually the first thing to top kill over here.
thebambooguy
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by thebambooguy »

springtimeshoots wrote:
thebambooguy wrote:
mountainbamboonut wrote:I can't believe black makes it there. I would think Bissetti does well? Of the kinds you grow can you say which ones if any stay green through a winter consistently without getting fried?
Honestly my black bamboo is still completely green from what I remember... I'll have to check up on it again though. Infact I think they're all pretty much green this year exept the vivax, I think it had some die back and to make matters worse I had to move them to where they are now in early November... so it's a miracle they're doing aswell as they are, even if I did mulch the heck out of them.

Wouldn't Nuda do the best? It's supposed to be quite hardy
How about you pot them up and send it to us, plz. :D

Nigra 'Black' is usually the first thing to top kill over here.
Oklahoma city? I would suspect it gets quite windy there does it not? Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but isn't wind the biggest killer of bamboo?
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needmore
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by needmore »

Only if it's cold wind!
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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springtimeshoots
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Re: Bamboo in Northern Idaho?

Post by springtimeshoots »

thebambooguy wrote:
Oklahoma city? I would suspect it gets quite windy there does it not? Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but isn't wind the biggest killer of bamboo?
Yeah it gets pretty windy over here. It also gets cold. Extremely hot. Lots of Ice storms. Tornadoes..drought.
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