Seeds available

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needmore
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Re: Seeds available

Post by needmore »

I'm back in CA right now and it looks like this year's culms on 3 Phyllostachys are going to flower nigra, nigra 'Henon' and fimbriligula, Spectabilis has been flowering but that is not uncommon so I'm ignoring that. I will not have access once there are seeds set so no seed collecting here but flowering right now.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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Re: Seeds available

Post by ShmuBamboo »

None of my nigra Henon seeds seem to be viable. They are all empty when compressed with my fingers on the plants. On over twenty 20 foot culms? All empty seeds. No pollinator here? Self sterile? Too cold? Dunno... I cut the blooming culms and scattered them around an empty are in case some are viable.

Even when I had what looked and felt like full viable seeds from another Phyllostachys species (glauca) that bloomed on me some years ago, none of them sprouted when planted.
Happy trails...
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Re: Seeds available

Post by Tarzanus »

ShmuBamboo. Is it possible there were birds eating ripening seeds? I have unimaginable numbers of birds inside my bamboo and they could (would) easily decimate the seeds. Sparrows are the worst. Whole grove is moving around dawn and dusk.

Since the seed I got from fredgpops sprouted, it must be viable. It could be the regular Phyllostachys nigra though, which is also flowering if there was a mixup during seed collection. The thing is, other nigra had just as low seed number. So far no germination from 2 seeds I got. They should start by now.

Poor self pollination could be the problem, but that's not really common with grasses and bamboo. It has other mechanisms to achieve biodiversity through mass seeding and a lot difference among seedlings. Only the best specimens (most adapted to pests, climate and ofther factors) can grow into an adult plant.
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Re: Seeds available

Post by needmore »

Tarzanus, I'm not sure if Phy fimbriligula is common in Europe, it is not so here, mine appears to be on the verge of flowering and I believe this species flowered a few years back. I'm wondering if mine might be stress induced or if it is flowering again or still.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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Tarzanus
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Re: Seeds available

Post by Tarzanus »

It is not. I'm sure they are growing it in European countries that are more bamboo friendly. I'm quite certain we have none in my little country. :P

I would love to try seeds, though. But if it's stress induced, flowers could abort prematurely or have low viability. What's even cooler with many species flowering at the same time, there could be cross pollination between different species. Not very likely, especially considering low seed count (if any at alll), but there's always hope. :mrgreen:

PS:
Phy. arcana 'Luteosulcata' is also flowering for a while and is not in an all-in mode. It will most likely survive the flowering. It could be regular flowering, but with less vigorous flowering type that doesn't completely exhaust the plant. Or it's just easily triggered when it comes to stress induced flowering.
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Re: Seeds available

Post by needmore »

The primary 3 I have flowering right now seem to be limited at this point to new culms, those have not leafed out and look off, the off part is what I anticipate becoming flowers. Those culms are also quite soft, they should be well lignified by now and are not so they may never finish.

It is a fine bamboo, looks to me to belong in the Glauca clan but this guy added size quickly.
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Re: Seeds available

Post by fredgpops »

My glauca partially flowers every year. One or two culms flower, the rest are normal. It has never produced seeds.
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Re: Seeds available

Post by Tarzanus »

And people say all bamboos are the same. :mrgreen:
So it might really be glauca related and they are both prone to stress induced flowering. Perhaps it's not even stress induced but rather sporadic flowering which gives seeds in low quantity or in special environmental conditions (stress) which could trigger seeding, not the flowering. Similar happens with mice and rodents. They multiply like crazy after drought (famine). Stress induced breeding :mrgreen:
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Re: Seeds available

Post by Tarzanus »

Brad, I just received reply from a German bamboo grower that has Phyllostachys fimbriligula and he said it's not flowering.
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Re: Seeds available

Post by needmore »

Thanks for the info!
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Re: Seeds available

Post by dependable »

I just want to thank Fred for sending seeds out for germination trials.

None came up the first time around, planted in growing medium, in cell pots. 24 per species. They were kept damp, but outdoors. Temps mostly in 60sF.

I just planted the remaining seeds, and it looked like none of the Henon seeds had germ inside, a few of the nigras seemed to though, and most of the gigantica. This time around they are indoors in a warm humid room, where I have some pretty good grow lights should any sprout.
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Re: Seeds available

Post by fredgpops »

History - Chusquea lliama flowered for the 2nd time in July timeframe. Tried to germinate seeds thru September and gave up and dumped all seeds in an area around dying clump. Watered area once a week, no other attempt to produce germination. Found 3 seedlings today. RGds
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Re: Seeds available

Post by Tarzanus »

Glad to hear. I hope they are vigorous and possibly have aditional treat or two.
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Re: Seeds available

Post by Tarzanus »

Any new info? I haven't got any other seeds to sprout. The one I did get was kind of a miracle. :mrgreen:
It grows nicely and has added additional shoot lately.
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Re: Seeds available

Post by Canadrew »

Tarzanus wrote:Any new info? I haven't got any other seeds to sprout. The one I did get was kind of a miracle. :mrgreen:
It grows nicely and has added additional shoot lately.
My dirt patch is still that. Moist, brown, and uninteresting.
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