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rmk3392

Is it alive?

rmk3392
16 years ago

Hello All,

Last year I dug up a few rootballs each with a few culms from a friends house and planted them. One of them sent up shoots within a month of transplanting and I was psyched about that.

However, the other just lost its leaves and left me with 2 bare culms. Each of these culms still has some green/yellow pigmentation but not a lot and again no leaves. I would say the upper third to a half of the culms are brown, and some color remains on the lower portions. There are no other signs of life above ground....so my question is whether or not the remaining color indicates the plant is still alive? Or can a dead root/culm system retain some color even through a cold winter.

These are P. Aureosulcata in St. Louis Missouri 6

Thanks for any input!

Comments (6)

  • kentuck_8b
    16 years ago

    It's possible that it is still alive, and I would keep it watered just like any other bamboo. Give it a few months and see what happens. It may just be stressed from the transpanting, and it is slowly growing underground before putting on new growth above ground. I have had this happen on rare occasion.

    However, sometimes they can keep their colour for long periods of time, if there is enough moisture in the soil, but time will tell.

    Good Luck

    Kt

  • subtropix
    16 years ago

    When did you do the transplanting?? The reason I am asking is as follows. I usually end by dividing or transplanting bamboo in April (generally cool and misty, and rainy). I almost never have any problems at this time of the year. However, if I have to, I have also transplanted in non-peak times (i.e., mid-summer). At this time of year, I have noticed much more of a problem with leaf curling and even massive leaf drop. But given a few weeks, even a barren clump of bamboo will often refoliate after it gets acclimated. If you transplanted in late fall your plants may have entered into a dormant state and are just waiting for spring (like the rest of us). If you transplanted in spring or summer of last year and did not get any leaves grow back in the season, then there is a problem. If you still see some green, obviously that is a good sign. Your plants might just have suffered some dieback. Wait at least until May to decide.

  • rmk3392
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks for the feedback! I did the transplanting this time last year. This was followed by total leaf drop and loss of color of the top of the 2 culms. Then up to now no change.

    Would either of you consider digging it up and checking the root system, perhaps at the end of this season?

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    16 years ago

    Is the culm soft and squishy, or is it firm?

    I did a transplant a little over a month ago,
    and one of the shooting culms died. It had
    color for a while, but then it browned and
    went soft. I'm still watering the clump, though,
    in the hopes that there's activity below. I
    figured the one culm had to be sacrificed for
    root expansion...

    Josh

  • subtropix
    16 years ago

    If you transplanted it a year ago and it went though a whole season without refoliating, I'm affraid it may be dead. If you want to be sure, leave it and see want happens when bamboo should be shooting (April and May dependin on where you live and the weather).

  • hello_c_j_here
    16 years ago

    Does it feel solid planted still? When you give a little tug on the culm... does it feel firm or loose? I agree though...if its been a year... odds are not good that its alive.
    But ya nevewr know... I had several planters look like a bomb hit them...I just kept them moist and they returned.