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Reverting bamboo
I have grown a black stemmed bamboo in a container for several years. It has increased very slowly with no major problems, other than suffering from wind burn.
This winter the storms stripped it of most of its foliage but it has begun to form new leaves and is beginning to look happier.
Yesterday I noticed a very strong cane, thick with leaves, growing much taller than the rest. Initially, I was excited but on close inspection see it does not have a black stem. I have decided to remove it close to the base as we have bamboos growing wild around here.
I had never thought bamboos were grafted but I suppose it could be a straightforward "reversion" or even a wild seedling.
Has anyone else had to deal with this problem with a bamboo?
This winter the storms stripped it of most of its foliage but it has begun to form new leaves and is beginning to look happier.
Yesterday I noticed a very strong cane, thick with leaves, growing much taller than the rest. Initially, I was excited but on close inspection see it does not have a black stem. I have decided to remove it close to the base as we have bamboos growing wild around here.
I had never thought bamboos were grafted but I suppose it could be a straightforward "reversion" or even a wild seedling.
Has anyone else had to deal with this problem with a bamboo?
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I had to wait some time before finding a specimen to buy with good solid black stems as many of the plants in GC's seem to have speckled stems. Perhaps they were just young.
I know there are always going to be variations within a variety as well as different constitutions. I do wonder if the new stem which has appeared might be because this year, for a change, I gave my containers a feed of Fish, Blood and Bone instead of the usual Growmore. They all seem to have enjoyed the change of diet.
My new plant is Fargesia Jiuzhaigou 1 [I think!] it is doing well new culms are developing. I haven't removed any of the lower leaves, thought it best to wait a year and let it settle.
In July every year I inspect my bamboo and remove all the spindly and discoloured/unattractive canes, leaving only the wider, taller ones. I also remove all the leaves and stalks from the bottom third of each cane to reveal the cane colour and markings better and give the plants more stature.
It's probably a good idea to leave your bamboo to settle in this year as your are doing @GardenerSuze, I'm glad it's doing well for you!
I think like most things you get what you pay for, a friend paid alot of money for a Black Bamboo. The stems were beautiful really, black with no colour break. That was another reason why I had wanted to replace mine.
I must admit I have been teetering on the edge of trying a trim now that it is more established. I might give it a go this year.
I love bamboos but down here in Cornwall they can really take off and invade a garden. There are a lot growing wild around my garden and I do not want them moving in with me!
I love the golden stemmed varieties but the ones I have seen down here grow to huge height and thickness of stem so I have not ventured to buy one. They seem very vigorous to me. I do not fancy starving/restricting one in a container.
The skinny one I have flowered profusely last year so most of it had died back although I did check it yesterday and there are a few stems still alive. I might sort it out and feed it up to see if it improves, if not I think it might well be grist to the next bonfire I have.