Japanese Timber Bamboo?

Moderator: needmore

Post Reply
mountainbamboonut
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:53 am
Location info: 0
Location: Sandpoint ID zone 6a 2,200ft elevation

Japanese Timber Bamboo?

Post by mountainbamboonut »

Hello fellow bamboo nuts,

This is a really cool stand about 10 minutes from my house. I have no clue how they have kept it from invading their lush grass (with no apparent barrier) next to it or other garden areas, but somehow they have. Someone might be doing an amazing job of meticulous springtime shoot abortion perhaps.

Anyhow, I was wondering if anyone could ID it. I would have provided closer foliage shots but it is a super tall canopy and I failed to take a closer up of the low growing shoots. Also the culms appear to taper towards the top with a larger diameter near the base if that helps. I have really large hands so in the photo it might not read as big as it is.

Look forward to hearing if you think this might be Bambusoides. Since I have 3 planted at my house I can start dreaming about its future potential in my yard if so. Thanks a million!
Attachments
photo 2.JPG
photo 1.JPG
jd.
Posts: 359
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:11 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Midwest, USDA Z5 / AHS Heat Z5

Re: Japanese Timber Bamboo?

Post by jd. »

The new shoots as they emerge from the ground are often the most distinctive feature so you would want to visit again during shooting season to better assure identification.
mountainbamboonut
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:53 am
Location info: 0
Location: Sandpoint ID zone 6a 2,200ft elevation

Re: Japanese Timber Bamboo?

Post by mountainbamboonut »

Ok i will get photos when that happens. Is it impossible to tell the variety from these photos? I can rule out vivax because of the taper right?
User avatar
needmore
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:14 pm
Location info: 0
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Kea'au, HI

Re: Japanese Timber Bamboo?

Post by needmore »

Vivax & bambusoides look enough alike that it is my understanding that they are difficult to tell from each other even with new shoots. Maybe culm wall thickness and leaf length can be suggestive of one vs the other. Internode length as well? Neither grow well enough here for me to mess with so I'm parroting info I've seen...
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
ShmuBamboo
Posts: 707
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:35 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Around here someplace

Re: Japanese Timber Bamboo?

Post by ShmuBamboo »

They could be Phy. bambusoides type (Medake), or it could be Phy. nigra Henon, Phy. vivax type, or Phy. edulis (Moso). I have seen them all that large in western gardens. Vivax tends to have longer leaves and has thin walls; they tend to bend/break in high winds here and with any slow loading. Henon has a smaller nigra type leaf and will have yellow culms in full sun, and greyish culms in shade. Henon will also have rather furry new culms, as will Moso. Vivax and Medake will have smooth green new culms. The culms all fade and weather like that in full sun.

Bambusoides/Medake is a good guess.
Happy trails...
jd.
Posts: 359
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:11 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Midwest, USDA Z5 / AHS Heat Z5

Re: Japanese Timber Bamboo?

Post by jd. »

You can also record the week of shoot production and compare with similar known bamboos in the area. Madake (真竹) produces shoots late in the season.
mountainbamboonut
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:53 am
Location info: 0
Location: Sandpoint ID zone 6a 2,200ft elevation

Re: Japanese Timber Bamboo?

Post by mountainbamboonut »

I will watch this one as it shoots and hopefully get some clues. I am pretty sure it's not Moso because Moso doesn't do great where I live. Vivax does great as does Henon and Madake.

Thanks for the insight!
Cooper12
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 3:38 am
Location info: 0
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Emmett Idaho

Re: Japanese Timber Bamboo?

Post by Cooper12 »

Mountainbamboonut where do you live? I am 3400 ft up past Placerville
Jason Floyd
Hangtown Farms

Emmett Idaho
Zone 7A
Potato country
philippe smets
Posts: 262
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 11:22 pm
Location info: 0
Location: rome italy

Re: Japanese Timber Bamboo?

Post by philippe smets »

on the vivax, there is a big difference of the colour of the culms of the year and the ones of the previous years that look much lighter .

phil
Post Reply