Moso cold hardiness

[Thuja]

The 'Anderson' clone is often cited as being the hardiest Moso, top hardy to -5F. Do you think there are any other forms of Moso being grown in the US besides 'Anderson'? Yes, some people are now growing moso from seeds or seedling divisions but probably not many have been around long enough to evaluate their real cold hardiness. What kind of hardiness can we expect from most seedling-grown Moso? Is it 0*F?

I realize that one of the problems with growing Moso in cold climates is that it is an early shooter and can be damaged or set back severely by spring shoot loss. Also it's been said that Moso stores energy in its culms and if these are killed back every winter then the plant will surely suffer.

[Iowaboo]

Also it's been said that Moso stores energy in its culms and if these are killed back every winter then the plant will surely suffer.

Yeah, I wanna know if that statement is truth or myth. If it is truth, sounds like there will be no chance for survival in harsh climates.

[JakeK]

From what I have read, Moso comes primarily from Southern and Eastern China like Fujian, Henan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, and Zheijiang Provinces. It seems to alternate its shooting cycles in the areas it is native to (probably a strong reason for why it produces such large culms both in heighth and width), and also stores the majority of its energy reserves in its culms. All of this really make sense when you consider the shear size it can attain in areas where winters are by no means tropical.

I think all bamboo hold a specific amount of their energy reserves in their culms (the ratio just differs), and bamboo that is culm hardy is specific regions generally produces bamboo that attains its maximum size.

The fact that bamboo flowers very infrequently also may limit its ability to adapt to changing climatic features, meaning that the possibility of ever seeing a truly hardy form of Moso for say much of zone 6 is very low. It seems our only hopes of finding a variation of Moso that can be grown to decent proportions in the Midwest or Midatlantic is by collecting seeds from especially cold provenances of its native range.

[Markj]

I planted one FIVE years ago, it's never been cold damaged here, but is now about 3 feet tall, I can remember going through the books and then ordering it.......despite everyone saying" it dosn't grow well in the Uk" . Well I can confirm it's pretty useless for quick results here . But the foliage is so nice , I'm hoping to get it around 10 feet high ( No laughing ) and hopefully show off the layered look to the leaves.

On the point of Moso storing more energy in it's culms than other Phyllostachys, I've never read this in print, I'd like to see proof of this in a ref- to some study, rather than some here say on the Inet.

Cheers.

[Mike McG]

Markj,

I would have though you would have had better luck in the UK but maybe it is just taking a longer time to size up. I have killed two plantings of Moso here in Central TX. My impression is that it grows well where it grows well , and is problematic in other locations. It does not appear to be a very forgiving bamboo.

The biggest problem here are the hot dry winds in the summer. It continually shows drought stress and seems to need more water than I can give it, watering it well once a week. Temperature, salts, and and pH may also contribute to it's fast decline here, a matter of months.

There was an article in the Dec 2000 ABS Magazine that talked about the Moso's requirements. Some quotes:

The natural distribution of Moso bamboo is confined to the subtropical monsoon climate. The mean annual temperatures vary between 30 and 40?F (15 and 21?C) with mean temperatures in the coldest month ranging from 33 to 53?F (1 to 12?C) and 80 to 85?F (26 to 29?C) in the warmest month. Moso can withstand temperatures as low as 0 to ?5?F (-18 to -
20.9?C) in the winter (Wang, 1996).

Annual precipitation varies between 32 to 71 inches (80 to 180 centiimeters). The limiting climatic factors for the Moso bamboo distribution are
obviously the annual precipitation in the north, that is, below 32 inches (below 80 centiimeters) per annum and the mean annual temperature in the south above 70?F (21?C). Precipitation seems to be the key factor for Moso growth. Optimum conditions are cumulative rainfall up to 16 to 24 inches (40 to 60 centiimeters) during shooting time (from March to June).

Red soils are dominant in the distribution area, whereas suitable conditions include 24 inches (60 centimeters) of deep fertile loam with a pH ranging from 4.5 to 7.0. Moist conditions are favorable, but not water-logged soil. The growth of Moso bamboo is seriously affected if the salt content of the soil solution is higher than 1%, or if the pH value exceeds 8.0 (Wang, 1996).

I am somewhat surprised by the 32 inches of rain. I would have guessed it requires closer to 45 inches, but maybe the 32 inches is at colder conditions with less evaporation from the leaves. Also Moso does grow on Avery Island where it is warm , but does not have the peak temperatures and dry winds that we get here. I would not recommend it as a large timber type bamboo for Central TX or futher west.

Mike near Brenham TX

[Mike McG]

The portion I quoted (Cut & Paste)

The mean annual temperatures vary between 30 and 40?F (15 and 21?C)I cut

is obviously wrong and probably should have read 60 to 70?F.

Mike near Brenham TX

[VanDell]

Hi,

has anybody experience with that famous 'Anderson' clone? Is it true, that it is supposed to be more cold hardy, or is that just a myth?

Greetings from Germany,

[rfgpitt]

On the point of Moso storing more energy in it's culms than other Phyllostachys, I've never read this in print, I'd like to see proof of this in a ref- to some study, rather than some here say on the Inet.

MarkJ,

I've read this in a few different places, but would also like it backed up by some kind of study.....

[Thuja]

Thanks for all the interesting info, Mike, Mark, Jake, et al. I am growing a few Moso seedlings here but don't hold out much hope for them. I'll be happy just to keep them alive.

Re the culm storage reserves, I am currently growing a "stump" of P. platyglossa I bought from David Andrews. He left 2 unbranched culms (3/4" & 1/2") about 3 feet tall in a B 'n B (balled and burlapped) root section. It seems the rationale must be that the culms will supply some resources to the new division. Anyway it does seem to be working in this case. I am gettting some nice new shoot growth.

[Markj]

Hi all, I'm probably being a tad harsh on the moso here, I think theres three seed raised plants here, all forming low mounds of foilage. I'm sure it was 2002 that the seed was raised ans planted out the following year.

Here's the result anyway, not much for the effort.



Here in the Uk I think the biggest plants are around 2.5 inches, having taken 30 or more years to size up. My main reason for growing this was for the look , once mature this has to be the best looking Ph. there is.

Whilst out I also took a pic of nigra 'boryana' planted the same time, anyone in a warm,humid climate wouldn't even think about planting one but here there quite a struggle to get going. I'm hoping for some good growth this spring.



Cheers.

[Iowaboo]

Something I forgot to mention that could happen.
Transgenic moso that could grow in colder climates. People are really playing with the dna of plants and animals. Maybe someone in china is already working on moso, who knows.
Don't worry, smog has killed more illegal aliens than ge crops ever will

[iandad]

There is a fairly large grove of it about a mile from my home. Don't know if it is Anderson clone, or not. It is Moso though, "furry" HUGE culms...

The area is adjacent to a condo community and they are trying to get rid of it!! The area is posted with several no trespassing signs and it looks as though they have been spraying herbicides

I am going to try and contact the condo association members and see if they will let me dig some. Stay tuned, will be willing to share, I already have large divisions from Anderson. It grows REALLY well here!

[Iowaboo]

iandad, were you the one that posted pics of moso growing through a shack in the woods. I remember seeing those pics on gardenweb, but possibly someone else from southeast posted them.

[iandad]

I remember the pic also, there are LOTS of timber groves around here in disrepair. Seems to be the perfect climate for phylo species... Aurea and Arrow are all over the place and considered a pest.

I am hoping to get culms the size of Anderson in ten years or so. Pretty amazing that it grows that large at the cemetary w/out fertilizer or irrigation! Climate must be pretty similar to native China...

I have to head out flying for a while, will try to post some pics when I return home and can talk with the condo folks. Would be a shame for it all to be removed... Boo is treated like a devil here, for somewhat good reasons due to negelected rampant groves. I see it from the air all the time, very distinctive plumes in the rotor wash.

[Mike,Marietta,SC,z8a]

I have "Anderson" moso growing near Hendersonville, NC, where it has taken -6F with no damage. Meanwhile a seedling clone (from Panda Products in 1986) on the same property gets leaf damage below 5F and is top killed at 0F. I have also gotten similar results with Anderson and seedling clones growing in a cold air drainage near Greenwood, SC where last winter's 4F mostly defoliated the seedling, but left the Anderson clone undamaged. At my milder Marietta, SC property, I have mature sized (5+ inch dia culms) groves of both the Anderson and the Panda Products seedling clone. This seedling clone appears to be a more southern ecotype than the Anderson clone, since in addition to its reduced cold hardiness, it also shoots a week earlier than the Anderson clone and shows increased heat/drought tolerance compared to the Anderson clone when grown at the hot summer Greenwood site. Large-sized shoots of the two clones are distinctively different in appearance, although both are obviously fuzzy moso shoots.

Regarding the Moso storing more energy in it's culms than other Phyllostachys theory. In the early 90's, I did several culm transplants (1-2 culms, topped at 6-8 feet high, 2-4 branched nodes, with 2-3 feet of rhizome) and some rhizome transplants(6 feet of rhizome with 1-2 large shoot buds on them). 7 of the 8 culm transplants suceeded with about half of them putting up a large shoot that spring. In the meantime, none of the rhizome transplants with shoot buds survived (the shoot buds tried to grow, but then aborted), but some left-over rhizome pieces (2-4 feet long with no shoot buds)planted at the same time eventually put up some whip shoots in June.

Since they did those software changes in early Jan at the Garden Web, it has been almost impossible for me to log on to any of their websites. When trying to log on, I usually end up at a blank page. Bamboogirl, those "snowy moso grove" pictures you were admiring were taken in the Anderson moso grove growing in my back yard.