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vancleaveterry

Moso vs Giant Japanese Timber

vancleaveterry
16 years ago

Phyllostachys heterocycla f. pubescens "Moso" verses Phyllostachys bambusoides "Giant Japanese Timber Bamboo".... If a person already has one [Moso in my case] is there any reason to have the other?

Can someone contrast the two for me?

Terry

MS coast

Comments (13)

  • kentuck_8b
    16 years ago

    I think there's always a reason for 'another' bamboo.

    Moso is a stronger-culmed bamboo and will probably get a bit larger, but takes longer to mature and reach large size. It is a more delicate looking bamboo. Giant Japanese Timber breaks easily when covered in snow(I'm told). It doesn't do very well down here, but Moso does.

    Kt

  • tnangela
    16 years ago

    Madake is a lot more cold hardy than Moso here in Tennessee...a lot better choice for zone 7.

  • vancleaveterry
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Kentuck in TX.... You say that "Giant Japanese Timber breaks easily when covered in snow(I'm told). It doesn't do very well down here, but Moso does."

    Why do you suppose it doesn't do well in TX? Not snow problems I imagine?

    Angela in TN... thanks also

  • kentuck_8b
    16 years ago

    No snow problems here, that's for sure, but I'm not sure why it doesn't do well. I planted both P. bambusoides aka GIANT JAPANESE TIMBER and P. bambusoides 'Castillon' here and both have struggled.

    They both started good the first couple of years, then they slowly regressed and I have a hard time just keeping them going by Summer's end.

    My guess would be that they don't like the high heat, which especially during the years they really did bad, was extremely high for this area, 100+F. I think in cooler Summer regions they both would do better.

    Moso does great but is very slow to reach large size. Henon, Bory, Nigra, and Tonkin Cane are a few other runners that do really well here, although the Nigra and the Tonkin Cane like it somewhat shady.

    Good Luck

    Kt

  • Embothrium
    16 years ago

    P. vivax has thin walls and breaks under snow. P. bambusoides has thick walls. I haven't seen it break. P. vivax is lush and vigorous, with large leaves. P. bambusoides gets full of aphids. Moso is more beautiful than either.

  • bobs_bamboo
    13 years ago

    I have both growing. The Japanese had about 4 years starting in bathtub. 2 years ago I've diveded and moved to a couple places. Now sprouts get about 14' tall. How long will it to get at least 40'?

  • Vanessa-roof-garden
    9 years ago

    Hi kentuck_8b, I am also located in TX, I am thinking of get a couple of Moso plants too, but not sure if they are suitable for the local climate (austin area, very hot summer and dry). Do you need to water them during the dry season? Thanks.

  • stevelau1911
    9 years ago

    I've found that moso will curl its leaves if there's high heat with low humidity which rarely occurs up here in upstate NY, but once it reaches a decent size, there should not be any problems growing this plant.

    I think the key may be to give it some shade protection until it gets big enough to handle itself. Here's a recent picture of mine.

  • cousinfloyd
    9 years ago

    Steve, it looks like your bamboo is yellow with green grooves. Is that moso?


  • stevelau1911
    9 years ago

    Yes it is. It is moso bicolor. There are over a dozen cultivars of moso, and many of them are colored types.


  • cousinfloyd
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the response, Steve. Is it still velvety in the juvenile stage like "regular" moso and does it lack the swollen area above each node like regular moso? I have a yellow bamboo with green grooves that I'd like to identify.


  • stevelau1911
    9 years ago

    The do appear just like regular moso, but new shoots will be velvety for a few months after they emerge. It appears like this cultivar has smaller and slimmer leaves with more of an elegant look than the heavier set moso.

    It is a slower grower than regular moso, but I like it's ornamental appearance, and I believe the size potential is just about the same. I'm growing in upstate NY so it probably won't ever get to its full potential, but it's still very rewarding to have in the garden.


  • PRO
    Garrett's Gardening
    8 years ago

    here in lowland western WA (maritime climate) bambusoides will grow ok but we are on the cool side for it and the new shoots are always covered in ugly mildew spots; vivax is doing great(in an old compost heap) moso is doing well enough but slow to establish. Had some early warmth followed by sudden cool downs in the weather this spring that killed the early shoots but the later stuff is doing well.

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