OK, the fella in Maine mentioned that maybe these were the same, and
at the time I replied to his post, i somehow forgot to mention that
they are not the same at all. Wish I could find the original post.
Dulcis is very beautiful, if it were not grown for food, it would
surely be grown for its very LUSH beauty, a wonderful shade of green.
Even our dogs prefer it, and we must protect the emerging shoots or
they get eaten.

hermine

I have both these and never thought much about it but they do sort of
resemble each other. However, there is definitely something about P.dulcis
that makes it one of my favorites. I think it's kind of subtle but it has a
beauty all it's own. In the 8 years I've had mine I just haven't been able
to bring myself to eat any shoots. This may be the year - it's getting
outside the mental barrier I've established.
Jim

"hermine stover" wrote in message
...
OK, the fella in Maine mentioned that maybe these were the same, and
at the time I replied to his post, i somehow forgot to mention that
they are not the same at all. Wish I could find the original post.
Dulcis is very beautiful, if it were not grown for food, it would
surely be grown for its very LUSH beauty, a wonderful shade of green.
Even our dogs prefer it, and we must protect the emerging shoots or
they get eaten.

hermine

On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 19:19:43 GMT, "jmbamboo" wrote:

I have both these and never thought much about it but they do sort of
resemble each other. However, there is definitely something about P.dulcis
that makes it one of my favorites. I think it's kind of subtle but it has a
beauty all it's own. In the 8 years I've had mine I just haven't been able
to bring myself to eat any shoots. This may be the year - it's getting
outside the mental barrier I've established.
Jim

P. dulcis is a particularly delightful,bright green. the new shoots
are delectable, i have eaten them raw only when i have broken them off
accidently. however, my dogs make a beeline for them and wish to eat
them with strong intent, i must protect the new shoots from the dogs,
until the culms have grown quite hard and woody. I confess i have
never grown anything for eating purposes, only for ornament, even if
the plant was edible.
hermine

You may be confusing P. Congesta, ans P Astrovaginata. They are one and tghe same. Unfortunately this is a ersult of all the naming problems associated with the identification of a plant that may not flower for in excess of 100 years.

I saw the (labelled as) "P. congesta" at Kew Gardens (London) this weekend. It was the most memorable of all the stands, with the fattest culms at Kew (about 2" diameter). According to Whittaker's "Hardy Bamboos" this is an old name for P. atrovaginata. My girlfriend thought it exceptionally nice, but agreed it was a good thing we didn't have it in the garden...