F. nitida started flowering about 8-10 years ago. You either have one that is substantially delayed in flowering, or you have a seedling that was started from that former flowering and is doing it again. However, I am skeptical that a seedling would be flowering that soon.

Additionally, there are many cultivars of F. nitida, such as "Jiuzhaigou, "Gansu," "McClure," etc., and you may have one of them rather than the original, plain old F. nitida.

Please keep us updated over the next year or two in regard to what is happening with your plant. You may also wish to post on bambooweb.info as that is where the hardcore bambuseros hang out. You could get additional input there.

Thank you kudsu9 for the info. It is a cultivar. I can't
remember which one, seems like it had a German sound to it.

OK, I looked it up, and I'm reasonably sure it's 'de Belder'.

My F. nitida 'Eisenach' is starting to bloom.

This is exciting. I would also like to be informed of more pics if possible. Also curious if there will be seeds.If you got seeds from the bamboo, I wish to trade with you. I have some other Fargesia seeds at hand.

I just came back and noticed the replies. Thanks. Here's a picture of one of the flowers taken a few days ago.

So if anyone is still here, did your bamboos survive the flowering or die?

It died. It took a while though, long enough that I thought it was going to survive. Unfortunately, the flowers did not produce any seeds, at least not any that I was able to discover.

Mine died, but yours might be a different cultivar, or a seedling from the flowering, so it might far outlive you.