Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

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shuboo
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by shuboo »

Any new info regarding flowering? My Parkers is producing a nice new shoot. No flowering at all. I purchased mine from Robert several years ago. Transferred from container to ground 2 years ago. Just curious why mine has not flowered.
-shu
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by bambambooboo »

No new shoots yet. No new leafing out. One clump up too high to really inspect flowering but looks okay from ground. Wind has bent down a cluster on other clump though. Mostly flowering on that still looks healthy. Some deterioration but that seems to be by a few ants that seem to be farming some furry aphids or something. Other clusters within that cluster of flowering look healthy still.

I said as if I know what I'm looking at (I don't).
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

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I'm expecting to walk out any day and see signs of flowering. A few of my D. Minor flowered earlier this year but are now shooting like crazy. My well water seems to have steroids in it. Very impressed with the amount of upsized shoots from the D. Minor. I assumed that since it flowered that the shooting would be affected. Apparently not the case....
-shu
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by needmore »

My Parker showing o flowers yet, tip of a new shoot popping up now.
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shuboo
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

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Well.....unfortunately mine is flowering. It was in the middle of a good sized shoot and then came the flowers. I wasn't sure if the shoot was going to survive but it's starting to branch out while flowering
-shu
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by Bamboo Conne'isseur »

Ah sh$t. Am I the only one with a Parker that is not flowering? How is yours Needmore?
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by needmore »

No flowers yet.
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by Bamboo Conne'isseur »

Fingers crossed Needmore.

In regards to gregarious flowering, does anyone have any explanation as to why not all of the Parker's have flowered? Especially if they all come from the same plant?
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by shuboo »

Great question. I'm interested in seeing what happens to the new shoot I have that emerged just before the flowering. Curious to see if it flowers after it finishes branching and produces leaves. So far it looks healthy. Nice and green. Lots of new branches and leaves. The entire plant is adding new growth. So far, the whole thing looks good. Time will tell. I've had several D. Minor that sporadically flower, only to explode with new growth after flowering. I had some Sacred Bali (S. Brachycladum) that used to flower on occasion. The plant still did well. Gave it to a buddy and he said it flowered this past season without issue. Hopefully that will be the case with Parkers Giant
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by Bamboo Conne'isseur »

shuboo wrote:Great question. I'm interested in seeing what happens to the new shoot I have that emerged just before the flowering. Curious to see if it flowers after it finishes branching and produces leaves. So far it looks healthy. Nice and green. Lots of new branches and leaves. The entire plant is adding new growth. So far, the whole thing looks good. Time will tell. I've had several D. Minor that sporadically flower, only to explode with new growth after flowering. I had some Sacred Bali (S. Brachycladum) that used to flower on occasion. The plant still did well. Gave it to a buddy and he said it flowered this past season without issue. Hopefully that will be the case with Parkers Giant
That is good news to hear, and I hope yours survives. Its interesting to me how some bamboo flowers, sometimes for a while and then recovers, while others just die. I wonder what makes one survive, while another dies.

So far, what is the youngest/smallest Parker to flower? 3 gallon pot?

Needmore, its been a while since I have been here and I see you made one hell of a transition from Indiana to California. Congratulations!
You must be loving your new found choices to plant.
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

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None of mine ever produced seeds. Only ever flowers. Maybe it has something to do with that. Not too sure
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

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[quote="Needmore, its been a while since I have been here and I see you made one hell of a transition from Indiana to California. Congratulations!
You must be loving your new found choices to plant.[/quote]

Yeah but I need me some dirt to plant them, beyond tired of pots. Kept the place in Indiana just in case ya know.

We're looking at anything from 6,000 sq ft to 3 acres. I've realized that I could survive with the 6,000 sq feet and grow only Bambusa, hardier Dendrocalamus in ground and be happy. The bambusa grow quite differently and I like them quite a bit. I think a 150 gallon fabric bag for runners would allow one to grow big bamboo and be easy to contain on a small lot.

My Parker has one shoot tip stalled and one shoot just shy of 2" now at about 5' tall. The previous year's culms are lush and green, no sign of flowers yet but I expect them to come.
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by Bamboo Conne'isseur »

I hear you with the pots. I have come to hate them, although I see their uses. The fabric pots makes sense. I used them myself before moving to the place we now have, and they worked well and held up better than I expected. Just have to keep soil levels up, or the sides collapse.

As far as anyone knows, have any of the them recovered yet? Or are they all dying? I wonder the state of the parent plant in Hawaii as well. Now I am beginning to think mine will follow suit, and for some unknown reason is just behind. Oh well, at least I have my new option for massive bamboo, D. tibeticus. That goes into the ground this weekend. I have a D. giganteus quail clone in as well but that too I am worried about, since the one at Quail Botanical looks to be dead. If they both end up extinct without any seeds, that is going to be a huge loss for the bamboo community. I hope someone can import D. Giganteus "Yak Nan" soon. If we can get that one, it will at least make up for one of those losses. This is the largest D. giganteus I believe.
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Aaron
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by Bamboo Conne'isseur »

Well, I was emailed back by Tropical Bamboo and they have suspended all sales of Parker's giant as their large specimen is flowering. Although its still alive, they are unsure like the rest if it will make it. So Roy might be right, we should be playing taps soon. What a great shame and loss.
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Re: Dendrocalamus sp. 'Parker's Giant' flowering

Post by needmore »

Here is mine to the left of the variegated Tootsik looking happy with dark green leaves and a fat shoot. I agree though, based on what we are hearing this one is likely done and will crap out soon.
park1.JPG
park4.JPG


One of the reasons I'm liking the bambusa, this eutuldoides 'Viridivittata' was a topped, single culm 3 gal mail order plant 15 months ago, I've not seen Phyllostachys size up this fast, several other Bambusa doing the same.
bmev1.JPG
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