Bambusa sp.

Bamboo

As I understand it, there are a number of things called bamboo which everyone agrees are bamboo: Arundinaria sp., Bambusa sp., Phyllostachys sp., Sasa sp, and Sasaella sp.. In addition, there are a number of things that look like bamboo, and are called bamboo, but aren't, like Pogonatherum crinitum ("German bamboo") and Peperomia 'Bamboo Stalks.' Then there is, of course, Nandina domestica (sacred or heavenly bamboo) which isn't a bamboo, or even a grass, but a shrub related to barberry, and doesn't even look much like bamboo. This post covers only Bambusa species.

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Lighting:

 Partial shade.

Temperature:

 Most bamboos need some frost protection. According to the Samsons, Bambusa sp. should never be exposed to temperatures under 66F.

Watering:

 Bamboo like lots of water, but not wet feet. They should be watered daily, but kept in fast-draining soil.

Feeding:

 Use a high-nitrogen food, such as a lawn fertilizer. (It is, after all, a sort of grass!) Feed every two weeks throughout spring and summer.

Repotting:

 Every two years, in late spring. Use fast-draining mix, except in very shallow pots, or on slabs, where ordinary bonsai soil is OK. Murata notes that the rhizomes tend to push out of the soil and will need to be trimmed back when the plant is repotted to maintain a neat appearance. The Samsons recommend that the roots be spread evenly across the surface area of the pot.

Styling:

 Generally styled as a grove, or used as an accent plant. Cut back yellowing or ratty-looking stalks. Cutting the stalks down in general will help to reduce the size of the plant. New stalks should appear almost immediately, although it is wise to leave a stalk or two uncut for good measure. The Samsons style their Bambusa as solitaires, saying that young bamboo can even be wired. Tomlinson says that large, interesting bamboo are occasionally grown alone, but that an individual stalk will only live for 5-6 years.

Propagation:

 Divide the rhizomes. Bamboo are invasive, and will grow like crazy if you give them the space.

Pests etc.:

 Red spider mite is common. Also, bamboo easily becomes pot bound.

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Some species suitable for bonsai:


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Related posts on Bambusa:

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Albert Adelman
bamboo@tiac.net
July 22, 1997
Bambusas are tropical or semi-tropical bamboos. They generally do best in 
full sun but will tolerate half-sun. They will tolerate temps much lower thean
65F - many will tolerate(not the bvest thing for them) freezing.

There are several other genera very useful if light is limiting, namely 
Indocalamus (I've had good success with Indocalamus longiaritus indoors.
Several Pleioblastus do well also.


Albert Adelman
bamboo@tiac.net
July 22, 1997
Bambusas are tropical or semi-tropical bamboos. They generally do best in 
full sun but will tolerate half-sun. They will tolerate temps much lower thean
65F - many will tolerate(not the bvest thing for them) freezing.

There are several other genera very useful if light is limiting, namely 
Indocalamus (I've had good success with Indocalamus longiaritus indoors.
Several Pleioblastus do well also.




=================================================================

Date: Thu, 9 May 1996 08:30:08 -0400
Sender: Internet Bonsai Club 
From: IrisCohen@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Bamboo

Harry Tomlinson's book needs a little more editing. Buddha's belly bamboo is
Bambusa ventricosa (the name means swollen). Phyllostachys aurea and its
sister Phyllostachys aureosulcata are the fishpole bamboos. They grow five
feet tall, are very invasive, and at least root-hardy to zone 5. I can't
imagine trying to grow them as bonsai, except very large.
A very nice little variegated bamboo for an accent plant is Pleioblastus
shibuyanus 'Tsuboi'. Available from Bert Adelman. The only trouble with most
of these is that they are susceptible to spider mites and need regular
repotting in fairly deep pots. I don't know if the above is the correct name.
As far as I can determine, the genus Pleioblastus has been dismantled and
most of its species moved to Arundinaria, but Mr. Adelman disagrees. How can
you reliably classify plants which bloom only once every ten, fifty, or a
hundred years, or like Arundinaria pygmaea, have never bloomed in captivity?
Iris

=================================================================
From: Albert Adelman 
Date: 11 May 1996 21:51:38 GMT

There are several other small bamboos suitable as accent plants. Sasaella masamuniana 
albostriata, Pleioblastis variegatus and Pleioblastus viridistriatus come to mind as three 
distinctly different variegated and small bamboos.
I grow and sell bamboo and do not presume to have an opinion as to whether Arundinaria or 
Pleioblastus is correct. Pleioblastus is still commonly used. Arundinaria is the older name 
and it is posssible that taxonomists are returning to that name. The listings of the American 
Bamboo Society still use Pleioblastus.

-- 
Albert Adelman
Burt Associates Bamboo
PO Box 719
Westford, MA 01886
Voice & Fax (508) 692 3240
Email bamboo@bamboos.com
Home page http://www.bamboos.com/users/bamboo

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Information Sources:

My information comes primarily from the Samsons' "Creative Art of Bonsai," with a lot of help from Tomlinson's "Complete Book of Bonsai," where all the species are lumped together, and a few words of wisdom from Murata's "Four Seasons of Bonsai." Iris Cohen and Albert Adelman posted additional information concerning the controversial classification of bamboo species.


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