Stable variegation or some kind of temporary leaf coloring

[Tarzanus]

Like I previously mentioned in another topic, one of my Moso seedlings (2 years old) started to push out shoots with variegated leaves. At first, only a couple of shoots - the ones that emerged pale green or yellow were affected, but after a couple of weeks, striping occurred on most if not all new shoots. One of the shoots almost turned green, and now there's variegation in the next one again, and the other one, turned almost yellow, with all the stripes and is forming much greener leaf after the variegated one. New branches that are just starting to emerge on first shoots (that were not variegated at first) are starting to show the same variegation as well. The largest shoot came out completely dark green with strong violet tan. At first it was growing non-variegated leaves, but after a while it also turned variegation on.

Some photos - sorry for high resolution.

The largest shoot photos:
From above

From below


3 shoots showing variegation


Strong violet tan and highly variegated culm leaves on one of the youngest shoots in the middle of the clump


New branch emerging from all-green shoot that didn't start to show any variegation before


Another variegated leaf on branching shoot. The one in front is variegated the one in the back might also be, but it's too early to tell


Majority of the clump from above. There's a lot of variegation emerging, even on shoots previously unaffected



The seedling is 2 years old and it had never shown any variegation. It started spreading rhizomes vigorously last year, but it never managed to gain height. Overall it remained small for it's age, but this spring it kind of exploded. New shoots are still emerging from the soil, but they are now starting to look more like whip shoots.
Well, last year's culms are leafing out now and they are 100% green, without any variegation. I think that last year's whip shoots that continued to grow this spring are also unaffected. The most variegated shoots arrived almost yellow with red tan. I thought that was because they were deep down under ground and with no light, they appeared without prepared chlorophyll.

Not sure about it. It looks like variegation won't fade out. Did anyone see anything similar? What do you think?

[needmore]

10 or so years ago I bought several 2-3 year old moso seedlings and each would have variegation very much like yours for several weeks, then by mid-summer the variegation would all fade and just turn solid green. Dunno bout yours but that was what those did, I was really hoping it would stick.

[JWH]

I voted that it'll fade out. My Ph. Iridescens acts similarly with the first leaves of spring being stripped like that. I've also noticed Yushania Boliana having variegated spring leaves. They all turn solid green after a few weeks.

Iridescens




Boliana

[johnw]

I had a stunning murieliae seedling back around 2000. It held its variegation perfectly for a full year before I told anyone. I then sent a pic to Ned who in turn got rather excited. In year three every new shoot was plain green and the variegated canes were left to die of old age with nary another variegated one to appear. Have old slides of it somewhere which I will dig out.

[Tarzanus]

Thank you. I think it's the same thing as well. I was kind of surprised only because it seems like the variegation appeared later, not in early spring, but it kind of built with time. Some of the green shoots started growing variegated branches which really made me think.
Well, the same thing happens with Arundo donax 'Variegata' which appears nicely variegated and ends up green later in the season.

I'll take photos to remember it, if it stops doing it.

[canadianplant]

You sure that you arent lacking any minerals like Nitrogen or iron?

[johnw]

I wouldn't give up hope, keep an eye on it. Better green becoming variegated than the reverse!

[Tarzanus]

You sure that you arent lacking any minerals like Nitrogen or iron?

It received full portion of granulated stinky poos converted into yummy fertilizer this spring. It stinks when it gets wet, but after a week, soil around gets a lot of nutrients. It also got epsom salts in the beginning of the spring. The thing is, that guy is still inside the large pot, but it ran out last year. One of the shoots is 1.5m away from the pot and it's still variagated. That rhizome is well rooted on several locations, I'm sure about that. There are other escapees (rhizomes), and they also provide some food, because they did not produce any shoots - yet they are alive and well rooted.

I wouldn't give up hope, keep an eye on it. Better green becoming variegated than the reverse!

True. I'll leave it alone, let it run into wild. I'll keep it checked, to prevent possible 'disturbance in the force', but with time, it will surely show it's qualities.

[Tarzanus]

Just to sum the things up - only a day after opening the topic, it became evident that variegation is fading. New leaves are loosing variegation with every leaf that emerges. New shoots are starting to branch out really fast now, despite cold weather that slowed down vertical growth.
Culms are hardly higher than last year's growth despite being twice as thick. If nothing else, they should stay more upright after they get going.

New wave of shoots is also appearing all around the clump, which makes me think it got a lot of energy last year. Sadly, some of the nicest shoots aborted anyway.

So, fade it is.

[Van-isle-bamboo]

Silly ignorant me! Should of looked at previous posts before I started this same topic yesterday. So hey just wanted to say that mines also doing the same! Hope it stays for the long term. I do believe that this also could be a cultivar of Bamboo garden.