"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...

I have a bamboo, bought about 20 years ago at Wisley, labelled
"phylostachys nigra" but certainly NOT nigra! It is a tidy,
clump-forming plant and has been split once about 6 years ago, since
when it has multiplied well.
Now it looks very sad. For a couple of months I have watched it from
the house, turning brown, but I have not ventured close to look at it.
I thought maybe it had suffered in last summer's drought and I had not
realised it, being partially sighted.
Today I made a point of looking closely at it. All leaves on all
stems (20 or so) are showing very little green, but there are a lot of
dark brown BUDS which I take to be flower buds. I have heard that
bamboo sometimes dies after flowering.
Has anyone any idea what may happen next and what I should do?



Pam in Bristol

Not sure how to make your plant recover but it may well be P. nigra as Mike
Bell who has the National collection pointed out to me only one of about 8
clones he has, has actual got black stems and that is the least vigorous and
most tender. It is apparently a very variable species.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea