Yellow with green stripes - which is it?

[pokenei]

Hi all. I need a positive ID for this bamboo here. It is grown by someone close by (about 200 miles).

I know there're a few stripping varieties out there including:
Phyllostachys Aureosulcata Spectabilis
Phyllostachys Bambusoides Castillion
Phyllostachys Aurea

Which is the most likely?

[stevelau1911]

With the crooked stem on the far left, wine staining on new shoots, cold hardiness, color of the sheaths, strong vigor, and localized leaf burn on each leaf; that has to be spectabilis.

[pokenei]

Steve, that's what I thought too. But I was told at first it was Bambusoides Castillon, and then Aureosulcata Aureocaulis. Let see if anyone else can say otherwise...

[foxd]

Steve, that's what I thought too. But I was told at first it was Bambusoides Castillon, and then Aureosulcata Aureocaulis. Let see if anyone else can say otherwise...

I agree with Steve, it looks like Spectabilis. The nodes look like aureosulcata nodes and the presence of green stripes in the sulcus rules out Aureocaulis which is described as all yellow canes with occasional green stripes.

[pokenei]

So, Spectabilis it is...
The thing is, I can't really tell the difference between Spectabilis and Bambusoides Castillon based on google images.

But, based on this past winter's low temperature which got down to 0 F (+- a couple degrees), Bambusoides Castillon would have been top killed, right?

Anyway, I think I'll be getting that bamboo in a month or two which should come in at 6' to 10'. I'll plant it at a location that would get only late afternoon sun. I think for this bamboo, lesser sun would be better for the coloring.

[foxd]

So, Spectabilis it is...
The thing is, I can't really tell the difference between Spectabilis and Bambusoides Castillon based on google images.

Compare the appearance of the nodes in these two pictures. In particular the sort of blackish ring around the bottom of the Spectabilis node:

Spectabilis


Castillion

[needmore]

Tell the person whose bamboo it is to slide their hand upculm - if it is one of the aureosulcata forms it will rough like sandpaper, if castillonis it will be smooth.

[Alan]

also spectabilis shoots much earlier than castillon...at least around here

[pokenei]

Thanks for all your input.

From the look of the photo, which was taken on the day it was posted (May 21st), it looks like it was done shooting and have already partially leafed out.

I also notice that some Spectabilis leaves has a single white stripe throught the middle, whereas for Castillon, the stripes are random and multiple.

ps. ID confirmed.

[Sirius]

Tell the person whose bamboo it is to slide their hand upculm - if it is one of the aureosulcata forms it will rough like sandpaper, if castillonis it will be smooth.

Yup, amazing how rough auriosulcata can get.

[pokenei]

Roughness confirmed.

[pokenei]

I just acquired a bamboo that was reportedly from the photo presented earlier.

However, it doesn't look like Spectabilis. Now I think the original owner was right in stating that it is Aureocaulis. The one I acquired has faint green stripes whereas Spectabilis would have vivid green stripes. The photo posted earlier did have a few vivid green stripes though. So, is it normal for Aureocaulis to have Vivid green stripes now and then? Given that these two cultivars are so similar, why is that Aureocaulis is a full grade below Spectabilis according to Needmore's cold hardiness rating page?

I would love to get Spectabilis still if it is a few degrees hardier, otherwise I think Aureoculis is suffice given that I don't have a lot of room to spare. It's one or the other.

If you have both of them, what is your observation? Is Aureocaulis noticeably less hardy than Spectabilis?

[johnw]

It would seem to be that 'Spectabilis' is tops for hardiness. Why I have no idea but even in Beijing the tests put it well ahead of 'Aureocaulis' just as Brad states. Qing & Ma also put 'Aureocaulis' slightly ahead of 'Alata' (as. v. pekinensis). One would think the plain green 'Alata' would be the tough one.

johnw

[pokenei]

Ok, given that no one here have actual observations of Aureocaulis vs Spectabilis, I'll just have to draw my own conclusion in the coming years based on what I have.

Given that Propinqua (Beijjing) is rated "A" vs Aureocaulis "A-", I would expect Aureocaulis to be slightly less hardy. I'll also compare Aureocaulis with Parvifolia and Atrovaginata which are all rated "A-".

[bamboothew]

If all of the culms have green sulcus stripes then your plant is not aureocaulis: aureocaulis only has occasional striped culms, but most are totally yellow.