I finally managed to get outside and divide this monster. Well monster to me anyways!! Took 2 hours to get it out and cut into 5 peices. I took off the bottom 4 inches or so... and anything that looked rotted. 50+ Gal Planter I got in a trade for 2 15 gal P.Aurea and Buddah. She had it in this same planter for 5 years and no escapees...so assumed it was a clumper. Does fine in the freeze here too... we had 3 straight days of below freezing days and a day of mid teens. Anyone have some possibilites?
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Looks like a SUPER root-bound Phyllostachys Nigra.
The culms look just like mine before going full black.

only two branches per node = phyllostachys. Im suprised that it is that small for 5 years worth of growth in that pot. I would think you would see more rhizome around the edge of the rootmass running along the pot.

I agree Ge... but there was 1 rhizome only about 12 inches long that was on the outer edge of the mass of fine roots. So its a runner? I would think that 5 years of that planter the rhizomes would have made multiple laps around the planter and look like a stack of coiled ropes.
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Not that I have any experience with bamboo being in the same pot for 5 years, but I would say that with no fertilization and no watering, you could see *any* plant do nothing except barely survive.

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Looks just like like P Nigra to me. Should do well in your area once you let it loose. P Nigra looks pretty good to above 5 or 10 d f. will get killed above ground at zero if no snow insulation. esp in dry cold wind.

She says it was watered regularly and fert every 3-4 months too.
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That is Phy nigra (AKA: black). What particular type, I am not sure. There are many sub-types of Phy. nigra, and they can be rather difficult to distinguish. I have 5 or 6 sub-types of nigra myself. It is a runner, and a very aggressive one at that, once it is established. It can be a very fussy type to get established however, and tends to slumber for a year or two or even three after transplanting or dividing. You can see the rhizomes in some of the photos there, and they have twisted and wrapped themselves back inside the potted area. That is typical of most Phyllostachys.

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Time will tell... The divisions all look stressed out now... taking them out of their only known enviroment. 5 large planters and a 7 culm division out in a 50/50 sun/shade area out back. So we'll have to wait and see what she decides to do. I have a RY out back that was a single culm in 05 and has only put up one culm since. Looks great though, guess its being finiky too.
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Phy. viridis "Robert Young" (if that is what you refer to as RY) is known to be a slow grower here in the PNW. However, once it attains its full size, it is very spectacular. We have had very good luck propagating it. Phy. nigra is one of the most difficult to propagate. I use divisions myself, as rhizome cuttings alone tend to fail at a very high rate. Last year my new black divisions sulked in the corner of my potted boo garden for about 6 months before they decided to be happy again. I feed them heavilly.

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YEs...Robert Young is what I was referring to. its sooooo slow growing. 3 of the planters I have form the P. Nigra dvision have stressed to the point that the leaves are withered ... anyone had this happen? recovered eventually and re leaved?
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