madgardener wrote:
"Travis" wrote in message
news:J%%re.9136$L65.3782@trnddc05...
madgardener wrote:
searching for it, and it's not a true bamboo, that's the common
name. when I find it, I'll tell you, k'?
maddie

Thanks.

I was really only interested if it was a "real" bamboo. I have
about 16 different kinds now.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5


well as far as I know, I only know the common name of it and
everyone around here (mostly oldster's and the next generation up
which would be people old enough to be my siblings and then my
generation) call it Crimson Bamboo because it exactly looks like
bamboo, only it's easily cut or broken, as it has segmented stems.
In the fall it send up "flowers" or at least a grassy type of
flower on top and at the junctions of the joints and it turns a
bright, crimson. I've also heard it called Mexican Bamboo. I
called UT Agriculture today and left a message, I'll try tomorrow
only because I am curious what the true identity is. Inquiring
mind wanna know, ya know? Now the people down in town (Dandridge
ain't very big, despite that there are hordes of people moving in,
I mean the business and "town" section isn't very large) who have
an art business with neat hand crafted things like ceramics and
glass stuff and window thingies and what not have planted TIMBER
BAMBOO, and let me tell you..............some of it is now
harvestable, as they've been in that spot next to the main road now
for about ?15? or more years. Improved the house that they sell
and display wonderful stuff in and live upstairs and down around
the main floor. The timber bamboo is doing what it
does..........it's growing westward. And the young shoots are
strong enough they poke thru ASPHALT, and CONCRETE!!! The daughter
who is in her late 30's (her mom and dad and even husband are
involved in this business along with all the artists they engage
for their wares) showed me shoots that were six inches thick at the
base, nine inches tall and had sprung up overnight, literally. She
goes out and kicks them over with her foot. She then pointed to
one that had shoved it's way thru the STREET apparently thru a
minute crack.........and Squire wanted some of this??? I think
not!!! She worries now from her dad planting it for building
fences and such from the bamboo when it gets to the "timber" stage
which a lot of it is now, that since it's walking westwards it will
soon invade the foundation of the house and business and she's not
sure how to remove it (like most houses around here, it's built
against a ridge and there is a full downstairs that is partially
underground with three sides exposed on the sides and back, and
this house is also two stories.)

The 38 foot pieces I cut several years ago when their neighbor on
the east side of them and their business (our town is a mix of
homes, businesses and such in the older established parts, more
normal with streets and neighborhoods as you follow the roads that
end in many, many coves all meandering around the huge lake that
runs south along the whole town) whacked the bamboo that had eaten
his steep driveway. I saw all the bamboo lying piled up on the
other side of his driveway and it was free for the removal. I just
stood there and cut the limbs off the bamboo before taking it home
to use as stakes and such. Others were taking it for using for
their pole beans. Beat the heck outa the local cane that grows
along the moist parts of the countryside (our native bamboo)

sorry about the running ramble there. Cathy has offered me several
times in the early spring some rhizomes of the timber bamboo and
after seeing the huge scary shoots, I've firmly declined, and
instead shared with her perennial begonia and other nice perennials
for her's and her daughter's gardens. (the back lower yard now is
literally a shadowy bamboo forest, which is kinda neat, but being
in town, it will eventually have to be burnt or something, unless
it blooms, then the problems will be over once and for all)

madgardener

The aggressiveness of running bamboo is highly exaggerated but
precautions should be taken.

There are some very nice temperate clumping bamboos that expand *very*
slow.

The only bamboo native to the US is /Arundinaria/ /gigantea/.

The bamboo flowering is not a 100% guarantee that it will die.

I'm looking forward to the identification of the "Crimson bamboo".

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5