Phyllostachys arcana 'Luteosulcata' Very pale Variegation

[Tarzanus]

I have a question regarding variegation. I'm growing P. arcana Luteosulcata seedlings and one had emerged with some kind of variegation. I wrote about it here http://cold-hardy.com/variegated-phyllo ... -seedling/

The question is, usually leaf appears variegated when it unfolds and only slightly change color as it matures. I'm seeing different process with that individual seedling. Leaves appear lime green with almost invisible darker stripes that with time remain green (perhaps even get darker) as the rest of the leaf starts fading into yellow.

I have ruled out deficiencies, because it was growing in the same pot with 4 or 5 green seedlings before I separated them. After that it received fresh soil mix, the same as all-green seedlings and the pattern remained. Well, I'm curious about it's growth in the following months and especially after I place it outside in full sun. At the moment it's placed under grow light with the rest of the seedlings.


EDIT: linking a photo doesn't seem to work. I have posted photos here

[Jeff: Igor's Apprentice]

Variegation that morphs over time is not unusual. It's not pursued by people who introduce plants quite as vigorously because if seen in the wrong phase it is not as appealing. Also, when plants are being propagated in a juvenile state, as with tissue culture, it is harder to be sure that the desired trait is being propagated and some type of less attractive mutation hasn't occurred.

[Tarzanus]

Bamboo has evergreen foliage, which means that there would be more variegated leaves than green. Also, leaves seem to turn in two to three weeks. I'll keep it safe and hope that it resumes to be variegated. Thank you for letting me know it's not something unusual, I'll try to learn a bit more about such plants.

[Tarzanus]

Size difference of 3 and a half months old seedlings. Varieagated is slow. The green one is the best performing pot. I use same method from now on on all the seedlings. It works great.

[Tarzanus]

IMG_9103.jpg (53.87 KiB) Viewed 34568 times

I've peeled away sheath. It's way too early to say, but the culm is almost white. Comparing to white sand next to it it does seem a bit yellow, but when you focus just on the culm, it seems almost white. Can't wait to see it when it grows a bit more, grow, grow, grow!

[Nicholas]

I've got my fingers crossed for you that there is also culm variegation or yellow culms.
Thanks for the regular updates on the seedling.

All the best,

Nicholas

[Tarzanus]

Thank you!
What is interesting is how different sunburn on regular green seedlings can be. Some get almost completely black, some get more red than brown,... One of the seedlings gets coloured before I even take of its protective sheath, others only colour up when directly exposed to light. Might be caused by small variation of light level under grow lights. I'll shuffle them and observe them further. I'll know for sure when they get planted outside and get a bit bigger. In the mean time, I'll play with a whole bunch of 100% albino seedlings and try to keep them alive for a bit longer than usual.

[grabhorn]

I'm enjoying hearing about this progression. Please continue to update us.

[Tarzanus]

http://cold-hardy.com/variegated-phyllo ... hment_1379

The difference between green and variegated culm after sunbathing under grow light. On variegated, progressive tanning can be seen, on the left, culm was just exposed and started changing colour, more to the right, it was exposed longer and in the right, there's the oldest culm with unbelievably red tan. Originally, when I took off their sheath, culms were whit-ish. Light cream colour at most.

A bit larger photos on the link above

[Tarzanus]

Variegated seedling is still struggling while green ones grow with unprecedented speed. I've been growing many bamboo seedlings now, but I have never seen them grow like that. Especially one is performing abnormally good. It grows tall compared to other more compact seedlings and it spreads like plague.

URL with more photos. Seedlings are now 5 months old.

Here's how it started to shoot. Or are these rhizomes, trying to escape the pot. I have had Moso escape that happened just like that. It looks to me, this one decided to start running.

[needmore]

Variegated seedling is still struggling while green ones grow with unprecedented speed. I've been growing many bamboo seedlings now, but I have never seen them grow like that. Especially one is performing abnormally good. It grows tall compared to other more compact seedlings and it spreads like plague.

URL with more photos. Seedlings are now 5 months old.

Here's how it started to shoot. Or are these rhizomes, trying to escape the pot. I have had Moso escape that happened just like that. It looks to me, this one decided to start running.

p-arcana-luteosulcata-rhizomes1.jpg

Crazy! That's the one I want regardless of coloration!

[Tarzanus]

No, no, no, I have never seen anything like it! Even if I there was tiny little doubt that these were in fact rhizomes and bamboo started running heavily after merely 5 months, I can now say it's 100% official - it's running. Is there any superlative to word running?

The beast had put out 14 relatively (thicker than all previous shoots) thick rhizomes and they just refused to turn into whips, even when I started undressing their sheaths and despite the fact that they were under strong light 16 hours per day. In almost a month, only 3 turned upwards and transformed into whips.

Sadly I can't publish photos here, because it seems image URLs from external sources are not allowed (used to work).

Well, scroll down to last two images http://cold-hardy.com/phyllostachys-arc ... s-5-months and take a look at the beast. It's getting too big to keep it inside. If I would have given it larger pot, who knows how large it could get by now. Spring is around the corner, I'll be glad to take this bush outside.

[johnw]

Tarzanus - I'd get that great plant into a much bigger pot right away, with that sort of vigour the chances of missing a crucial water is just too high and not worth the risk.

john

[Tarzanus]

It's part of the training. I watered it with it's leaves curled up and watered it so much that the tray below was filled with water - all without negative effects. Other seedlings show more or less issues with that, I have almost lost two because of that, they survived the drought, but seems to have much more issues with the water.

The other thing is, I have no space at the moment to give it bigger pot. I have peppers and all kinds of things under my LED lights. I wait for the spring to arrive - it's almost here.

PS: I keep an eye on it, practically twice daily. I'm cutting it's lower branches now and pulling all the shoots together to conserve space and decrease leaf surface. It's interesting how the leaves that are in physical touch and don't receive airflow get soaking wet. Very high transpiration.

[grabhorn]

These are fantastic! Please continue to give us updates.