I have two Moso that I have grown from seed in pots. They are now 2 years old and seem pretty healthy and happy, but both still entirely show the juvenile form: leaves very large, leaves directly on the stems, stems not exposed at all because of juvenile leaves, and no branches on the stems at all.
I also have some other small Phyllostachys bamboos in semi-juvenile form after a couple years. Recently I read another post here that seemed to be complaining of a juvenile bamboo after 3 years in the ground.
How does one encourage juvenile bamboo to "grow up"?
Bob
How to get a juvenile bamboo to "grow up"?
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stevelau1911
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Re: How to get a juvenile bamboo to "grow up"?
I think it just takes a lot of time and patience however I think planting them in the ground will encourage them to put out rhizomes since they have more room to grow. Also a lack of sunlight and warm temperatures might be holding it back because a 2 year old from seed should show branching. Do you have any pictures of them?
At 6 months, I would expect something like this where they are still at their clumping form and ready to put out rhizomes after their culms are fully established.There are about 3-4 branches per culm and the plant is around 18 inches high in this picture.
By around 2 years old they should have put out short rhizomes, maybe 8 inches or so in each direction and get up to around 3ft with about 6-8 branches, at least in my case.
By age 3, mine still looks very juvenile however it is going up in size and running out a little farther each year and the tallest culm straightened is near 6ft. I can't tell by my picture how many branches it has, but it looks around 14, and making double branching at this point.
The leaves are noticeable smaller this year, only measuring around 7 inches at most when they were as large as 9 inches on previous years and I expect leaves to keep getting smaller gradually each year as they get bigger and look more like the mature form.
At 6 months, I would expect something like this where they are still at their clumping form and ready to put out rhizomes after their culms are fully established.There are about 3-4 branches per culm and the plant is around 18 inches high in this picture.
By around 2 years old they should have put out short rhizomes, maybe 8 inches or so in each direction and get up to around 3ft with about 6-8 branches, at least in my case.
By age 3, mine still looks very juvenile however it is going up in size and running out a little farther each year and the tallest culm straightened is near 6ft. I can't tell by my picture how many branches it has, but it looks around 14, and making double branching at this point.
The leaves are noticeable smaller this year, only measuring around 7 inches at most when they were as large as 9 inches on previous years and I expect leaves to keep getting smaller gradually each year as they get bigger and look more like the mature form.