Randy-
Where do you live and what type(s) of bamboo are you looking for? In addition, shipping costs will be affected by your distance from the nursery.

HEY KUDZU,I AM IN AUBURN HILLS MI.ZONE 5/6 I AM LOOKING FOR FAST RUNNING, NUDA OR YELLOW GROOVE,I AM WILLING TO TRY ANYTHING. CLUMPING I CAN GET AT MY LOCAL NURSERY BUT NOT RUNNING BOO. THANKS FOR YOUR IMPUT. RANDY

Randy-
I'm surprised in your Zone that they offer clumping but not running bamboo, as your winters get pretty cold and most clumpers are not as hardy as some of the runners. Nuda and Yellow groove are definitely good choices for you. My favorite nurseries are in the Pacific NW, so that's a big shipping charge for you. I am attaching a link to American Bamboo Society nurseries, as these folks generally know their bamboo and are reliable. In addition to the alphabetical list of nurseries, there is a table toward the bottom of the link page that lists ABS nurseries by State, so you can see what is close to you. If you send me an email [click on "My Page"], I will give you a couple of other suggestions.

Here is a link that might be useful: ABS Nurseries

I've gotten Yellow Groove and a couple others in Michigan in the past year. I got mine at Arrowhead Alpines in Fowlerville. Not really big plants (though the one I got two years ago now fills a 10 gal planter). I've seen the same variety (though smaller than mine currently is) at English Gardens.

Also, check out www.burntridgenursery.com for their selection. (I saw a couple varieties for less than $20, but what the sizes were I don't remember)

There is a Detroit Bamboo company (but I know nothing more about it than its existence).

~Chills (in SCS, Mi)

Hi Randy,

I have some Phyllostachys aureasulcata Aureacaulis potted, the Golden crookstem- different coloring than the regular yellow groove. email me if that is one you would be looking for.

I have ordered 3 times from bambooplantation.com and I have been very happy with all the boos I got! They are really cheap, and they ship really nice plants. They have the best quality and cheapest prices I know of, and they don't kill you with shipping. I got a number 2 gallon of Yellow groove and it did great the first year I planted it, even sent up new shoots that same year. I don't have the money this year, but next year I hope to get another type of bamboo from them.

Here is a link that might be useful: bamboo plantation

thanks everybody,thanks for your input. I will try bamboo plantation.their prices sound pretty good.

Oh, one more thing. They usually ship their plants full grown (they don't cut them). Please don't be tempted to cut the bamboo stalk at all, I had done that with my first one because I had thought it would help it from getting stressed because it was really hot when I planted it, but if you cut it it will take longer to grow. I would just water them well if you plant them during warmer weather.

I've ordered a couple times from bamboogarden.com out on the west coast. Shipping is high because I'm in NY, but their plants are top notch and relatively cheap for the sizes they offer.

I ordered from bamboogarden twice, I got pretty spindly plants from them though, but that was several years ago. The one up and died after hanging on for one year. :(

I've only purchased from them in the past three years, so that's the limit of my experience. Sorry to hear you got stuck with spindly sub-standard plants!

one more option specifically for the original poster (if he's still around)

http://www.mibamboo.com/plants.htm

FAirly local too

~Chills

Buy from bamboogardens. They have definitely been the most dependable from me.

Make sure you stay away from bamboo plantation. I've purchased a few plants which were over-grown, root-bound and drying up, likely damaged from the winter and likely to die, or sit there and do nothing for a long time. He will also ignore your calls, or emails afterwards. I hope no-one else becomes a victim.

I have ordered from Bamboo Garden several times. Very happy with quality and service. On one order a plant got broken during shipping and they bent over backwards to make it right.

Try Lewisbamboo.com. I've ordered several times in years past from them and always been very satisfied! Very reasonable shipping policy too!

Does anyone have any experience ordering from Tejas Tropicals? They are fairly close by but I'd still have to ship them.

http://tejastropicals.com/products/bamboo

why not save some money on bamboo and order off ebay? its alot cheaper and we have had no problems ordering from there. we got our running bamboo there. its beautiful.

littlejo-
I'm glad to hear you had no problems with eBay. In my experience, most of the sellers on eBay are not nursery folks, but simply people who have some bamboo out in the back 40 and want to make money off of it. They often don't know how to dig and stabilize it, and I've known plenty of people who got rhizomes only, or got a topped culm with dirt removed from the rhizome to save on shipping. Frequently, these plants are so abused that they die after receipt. I'm not saying all sellers on eBay are like that, but buyer beware...