The last of the rhizomes of our 1975 acquisition of old generation Fargesia nitida ex Edwards Gardens in Toronto were dug. The pile shows 1/3 of what was exhumed. Many propagations were removed from this clump over the years and we spread them far and wide. One very small flowering cane was spotted but the rhizome showed little signs of life.

johnw - +24c and a brief heavy rain today.

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johnw coastal Nova Scotia

I saw some Nitida seedlings on sale at a local nursery. I wonder if it came directly or indirectly from that dead clump.

The seedlings are very tiny however so I don't bother with it. I figure it'll take forever to size up. I am still undesided between Murielie and Nitida. Which is prettier or hardier?

The seedlings could very well have come from this same plant as it came from Ontario. Originally it came - I was told - from the bamboo man in western New York or New Jersey. Back in the 1970's I had an idea who that might have been but absolutely no idea now.

Fargesia murieliae is my favourite though with all the seedlings about it's imperative to get one closest to the old Wilson one which was a shiner. There's a great one in Europe called 'Fresena' that I'd love to get but I don't think it's arrived in North America yet.

johnw - 17c and very foggy

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johnw coastal Nova Scotia

John- we just have to wait 10 years now for the nitidas to regain their former glory. I've spread the seedlings that I grew from your seed all over my property. Now I just have to play the waiting game. FYI the nitida that I bought when I was last in Halifax is now 4 feet high and starting to motor along!

Paul - I planted 2 x 2 gallon nitida seedlings down near Yarmouth last year and they were up to my chin this spring. I wish the ones we have here in pots would bulk up, they despised being kept just frost-free in the dark over winter.

(Hope you have that parvifolia going so we can see how it will so from Ontario to NS - Markj's is incroyable)

johnw

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johnw coastal Nova Scotia

John, Yes! My parviflora is very small and will be babied for 3 years. Honestly if I can get a bamboo to 1.5" I will be very pleased!

Those nitida seedlings went from tiny to decent 1-2 gallon sized plants this spring. They really do much better in the ground!

Loosing a plant that old must be like loosing an old friend...

Paul/John - How has Parvifora done for you guys? Steve on here seemed really excited about it and now it seems to becoming more popular

Canadianplant

I just got 2 large and 1 very small rhizomes of Steve's parvi this past May. Two are doing well in big pots, one is up over five feet but I think the little guy in a one gallon has packed it in as the new 3" shoot rotted in the humidity last week, I haven't given up hope on it yet and will keep an eye on it.

Can't wait to get these going in the ground and passed around.

johnw

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johnw coastal Nova Scotia

Do nitida plant leaves curl under stress?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

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TC
http://gardenitis.blogspot.com/

I like parvifolia almost solely due to its potential size potential and good hardiness in zone 6, or cooler climates in general, but the bamboo that I am the most excited about is my phyllostachys edulis bicolor. I am also interested in parvifolia's size potential in the southeast as the 4X40" in Europe probably doesn't maximize the specie's genetic potential. Edulis bicolor is the complete opposite of parvifolia in that it cannot take z6 winters, and grows very slowly, but I also believe that it is the most beautiful bamboo in my garden, even if it never gets bigger than 1.5 inches by 12ft due to the climate.

I even dedicated one of my gardening blogs to it
http://stevespeonygarden.blogspot.com/2 ... -moso.html

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/31489820@N02/

http://stevespeonygarden.blogspot.com/

Here is a current picture of the F nitida anceps. Also a bowl of seeds. Should I seed right away in grow mix? I guess one would plant them quite shallow, lying on side like grass seed? Advice would be appreciated.

Noticed some little insects came out with some of the seeds. Probably eating them.

Sow the seeds as quickly as you can, they seem to lose viability pretty quickly.

I've done mine in standard seed starting mix lightly covered with vermiculite (could use grow mix too). They germinate readily at room temperature!

Good luck.