Flowering update

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fredgpops
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Flowering update

Post by fredgpops »

Two surprises this month. My Chusquea gigantea and Phyllostachys nigra are flowering. First time flowering will have a devastating impact on my garden ref size of the groves.
Got to roll with the punches.
Canadrew
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Re: Flowering update

Post by Canadrew »

My friend's Chusquea seeded/flowered this month too, on Vancouver Island. It makes me nervous because I planted 9 15G pots of it along a fence for some future screening (also on Vancouver Island)... I would hate to have thrown all that money away...
ShmuBamboo
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Re: Flowering update

Post by ShmuBamboo »

Phy nigra Henon is definitely flowering gregariously this year here. Last year I had one culm bloom and I cut it down, thinking that it might have been caused by the heavy Gorge wildfire smoke the fall previous. But alas, this year many culms in the giant clump I have in the ground and several potted ones are in bloom. My friends in South Carolina and Texas say that their Henon is blooming there as well. None of my other blacks are blooming here, including black, Bory or Megurochiku. Meg. has been reported as blooming, but I am wondering if they were really Henon? They grow pretty much identical. I got my Henon from a private collection in Carmel, California. I got my Meg. from Ned at BG. Black I have gotten from several private collections in Oregon, Washington and California.

Former blooming boos for me here were Bam. multiplex Alphonse Karr, Far. nitida and Phy. glauca Yunzhu. None of the seeds were ever viable. No pollinator or not the favorable climate to set seeds here?
Last edited by ShmuBamboo on Sat Jun 27, 2020 1:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
Happy trails...
fredgpops
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Re: Flowering update

Post by fredgpops »

My yunzu flowers every year. Good info on Bamboo Garden. I've bought both from Ned and Gib. Both honest nurseries. Let me know if you have any trades. Rgds
dependable
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Re: Flowering update

Post by dependable »

If anyone gets some P nigra or Hennon seed, I'd be interested in some. Also willing to do viability tests on any fresh bamboo seeds if anyone has some and does not want to bother, will pay shipping/handling.
ShmuBamboo
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Re: Flowering update

Post by ShmuBamboo »

fredgpops wrote:My yunzu flowers every year. Good info on Bamboo Garden. I've bought both from Ned and Gib. Both honest nurseries. Let me know if you have any trades. Rgds
My Yunzhu bloomed and basically croaked. Like the Alphonse Karrs and the Nitidas. The Henon keeps putting up new shoots, but about 10 of last years' culms are now blooming. They set blooms fast. One week they were ratty from last winter, and putting on what I thought were new leaves, and then BAM! Flowers galore. I was going to yank out the Henon and divide/pot it up anyway, so maybe it will croak on me and I will just cut it down. I should get thousands of seeds, as this has been in a ground for 8 years and puts up 30 foot culms. But again, I doubt that any seeds will be viable. If they are I will grow them. Or more likely they will shoot en masse from the lawn around the Henon grove. Who knows what the results will be? Mutants? Same as old Henon? Some type of blacks?
Happy trails...
dependable
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Re: Flowering update

Post by dependable »

The only mass flowering of a Phyllostachys I have witnessed first hand was P flexiosa. In that case, younger rhizomes at the edges of groves sent up little "survivor shoots". All mature culms in the grove died after flowering.

I had permission to dig as many of the shoots as I wanted from remains of a multi acre grove. They sized up and were doing fine after several years in my yard and in some plantings I installed. I'm not sure if any subsequently sprouted from seed after that, but my impression was they did not.
Tarzanus
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Re: Flowering update

Post by Tarzanus »

Like Dependable, I'd also like to grow the seeds. If they are viable :)

I've seen no flowers. Some said last year Phyllostachys aurea was going to flower, but it's shooting vigorously and there are no flowers, leafing out vigorously.
fredgpops
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Re: Flowering update

Post by fredgpops »

Seeds starting to drop re my giganteas today. Abt 15 seeds. Trying a new way to germanite based on utube procedure.- seeds on wet towel (water/peroxide) folded then inserted in Ziplock bag. Tradewinds Bamboo has been successful re their technique of gigantea propagation. Not sure what their technique is. Rgds
fredgpops
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Re: Flowering update

Post by fredgpops »

8 days and C. gigantea seeds are starting to germinate. Using a technique found on YouTube - seeds on a towel and spay with water/peroxide solution. Fold and insert in a Lock Tight bag and seal. Placing on a heat pad at 80F. Rgds
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