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Hi, this particular Phyllostachys is labeled by a grower as Vivax. But to me, there’s no way it could actually be Vivax. Any ideas of what it may actually be? It’s growing at Klyn Nursery in NE Ohio. Not sure if anyone is familiar with them. They grow many running bamboos so I’m not sure how or if the identification got mixed up.

I know Klyn's a bit, bought wholesale from them...why do you think this is not Phy vivax? I will say that at a glance to me it looks like Rubromarginata but there is really not enough to go on.

BTW I also think it is not Vivax

My main reason for thinking it is not Vivax is the lack of spots on the culm sheaths. Also I’m growing Vivax that I obtained via Dave Andrews and the 2 plants seem very different. I just wanted to be cautious because I’m selling these to retail customers. Next spring I’ll try and get pics of the young shoots. My timing didn’t work out this year, I was too early and too late.

Like I said, I think you are right and that sure looks like Rubro, one of only a few bamboo that I think I can ID by culms and overall look it is distinct enough.

Another Ohio bamboo nursery showed me their grove of Dulcis which I knew for certain was Bissetii, and I know they got their plants from Kynn, so I'm not sure where that one broke down. I did not point out the error during my tour, the grove was actively shooting and the damn stuff was Bissetii which I know well, later the owner was showing me potted inventory and there was another obvious mixup of 2 other species which I did point out and he said that it didn't really matter the hardiness was similar and clients don't care . On another day I was at a public garden in KY and the curator vented to me how he had been sold the wrong bamboo from them and he was certainly caring...

But it happens a lot, I have 3-4 out here that were mislabelled or unknown.

I know it happens quite often in the nursery industry, but it’s still frustrating. I know many people do not care but for the ones that do, it’s unfortunate. Also almost no one in my area grows bamboo nor has much knowledge beyond the basic info. Klyn has been a great source for YG, Spectabilis, Nuda, and Bissetii which are the top sellers so I cannot complain about that. They have an incredible amount of plants in containers!

I’m trying as many different Phyllostachys as I can up here in this climate to see how they do. I moved a couple years ago and am only 5 miles from Lake Ontario which helps moderate extreme winter lows. The typical hardy ones have done phenomenal so far!

needmore wrote: ↑Fri Jul 09, 2021 4:36 pm
Another Ohio bamboo nursery showed me their grove of Dulcis which I knew for certain was Bissetii, and I know they got their plants from Kynn, so I'm not sure where that one broke down. I did not point out the error during my tour, the grove was actively shooting and the damn stuff was Bissetii which I know well, later the owner was showing me potted inventory and there was another obvious mixup of 2 other species which I did point out and he said that it didn't really matter the hardiness was similar and clients don't care . On another day I was at a public garden in KY and the curator vented to me how he had been sold the wrong bamboo from them and he was certainly caring...

But it happens a lot, I have 3-4 out here that were mislabelled or unknown.

Besides what I could get locally, much of my initial collection came from New England Bamboo in Rockport MA, this was in the late '90s. I was sold Bissetii as Dulcis, as well as Bissetii as Decora. I was new to bamboo at the time, so I did not figure this out until later when I had learned more. I got another dozen species from them that did turn out to be correctly labeled, including Bissetii as Bissetii.

To this day I do not know if NE Bamboo did this intentionally to fill an order for something they did not have, or an honest mix up. But due to the ease of identifying Bissetii and the ease with which it is propagated always led me to suspect the former, but who knows. I don't know if they are still around, but their pricing at the time was quite high, so the motivation was there as well as disappointment on my part.

It stinks when it happens, my Schizostachyum jaculans has turned into Bambusa oldhamii - big difference between the two, I am fortunate that the planting site works for Oldhamii. I was drawn to the division in the nursery then saw on the tag that it was on my wish list so I grabbed it but I would have skipped Oldhamii at the time even though it was a nice division. The first shoot that popped up was larger diameter than mature Jaculans so I got suspicious pretty quick.

To original post, I'm pretty sure that is rubro as well. Here are a couple of pics of mine I took yesterday.

Wow, the similarities are striking. I definitely seems like this is Rubro that is being sold as Vivax. I will be ready next spring to get some pics of the young shoots, Thanks!

It is almost certainly not vivax.
It very well could be Rubro considering its long internodes.