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kentuck_8b

B. t. 'Albostriata'

kentuck_8b
16 years ago

I recently made two divisions from my Bambusa textilis 'Albostriata' and today noticed they had blooms on them.

I immediately thought it was from the stress from being divided and being potted, but the 'Mother' plant also has massive blooms on it.

I have had blooms on other bamboos before and I know that seeds being produced from a blooming plant are usually scarce.

My P. jap. has been blooming non-stop since I purchased it a few years ago and seeds are hard to come by,...maybe 50 seeds in the past three years.

The blooms on the 'Mother' plant start about 15 feet above the ground, so it will be hard if not impossible for me to retrieve most of any seeds that might be there.

{{gwi:408549}}

{{gwi:408550}}

Kt

Comments (24)

  • hello_c_j_here
    16 years ago

    Wow :-) I though a blloming plant meant certain death. Guess not huh. Have you been able to get seedlings from these seeds?

  • kentuck_8b
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Yes, I did too, but the P. jap changed my view on that.

    I got a couple to grow from the P. jap.

    All divisions from the original plant, even the ones planted in the ground, have been constantly blooming, but actual seeds are rare.

    It will be interesting to see what kind of seeds I can get, if any, from the B.t. 'Albo'. I have to figure out how to get up that high.

  • hello_c_j_here
    16 years ago

    I have climbing gear...if you have a tree I can tie off to... lol

    Any chance I could get a few seeds hmmmmmmmmmm? :-)

  • kentuck_8b
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I'll keep you posted on the seeds as they become available. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. No one else that I have been in touch with, that grows Albo, is having any seeding going on.....hmmmm. What's up with that?

    Looks like I have a 'lone seeder.'

    No close trees but some 60-footers a short distance away. I have a tractor and loader bucket that might help reach some of the lower blooms/seeds. I even thought about sinking in a 40 foot cedar post next to the boo, and then 'tree' climbing up it to reach the top ones.

    Not as agile as I used to be, but I think the seeds are worth the risk.

    Kt

  • bambookid524
    16 years ago

    If you do come by some seeds, you think i could have some too?

  • hello_c_j_here
    16 years ago

    I pinged a few people I know on this end and none are seeding either.
    Spooky!!! ;-0

  • kentuck_8b
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I got home late again, but decided to check the bamboo with my tallest ladder and a flashlight. The blooms that I could reach, and one culm that I was able to pull down and check closely, all had mostly chaff.

    I hope I'm not too late, and the seeds, if any, have already set and fallen.

    I'll get a better look this weekend during the daylight hours.

    Keeping my fingers crossed...

    Kt

  • orchidnuts
    16 years ago

    Hi,
    My tuldoides is in flower and I got my seeds by crushing the culm 3 feet above the ground between the internodes. The culm will split and is then easy to bring to the ground. My last culm was still alive a year later before my wife cut it off. It dosen't look too good on the ground. Rich

  • kentuck_8b
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I didn't want to harm the culms if possible, but it will be my last resort if needed. I was able to bend one culm all the way to the ground and examine it closely.

    Tuldoides seeding? Dang, I forgot about that one, now I'll have to check on mine this weekend and see if it has seeds.

    Kt

  • hello_c_j_here
    15 years ago

    Very interetsted in some seeds if possible... I have seeds from f. Nitidia blue fountain from a trade in 03 I believe. Been in fridge since... just soaked 5 and planted in a sandy mix and see life emerging ;-) Have F. Muriealea seeds and p. humilis (ground cover) I believe

  • tey157
    15 years ago

    I've heard that sometimes bamboo flowers from stress. Has it been stressed?

    The birds might get the seed before you do.

    kentuck, where in Texas are you?

  • bambookid524
    15 years ago

    Cj and orchidnuts,

    Do you think you could send me some free seeds, i'm very interested in trying to propagate from seeds. So if you have any leftover seeds if you could let me know. It would be very much appreciated.

  • kentuck_8b
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Bookid, I'll be glad to send any available, but it looks slim right now, and there are a few ahead of you on my seed list, but I'll surely keep you in mind.

    Tey157, The Albos is planted in a line with other Bambusas all under equal conditions and none of the others show signs of flowering. As I mentioned above, I did take a couple of divisions from one side which might have stressed it a bit, and I'm sure the divisions were stressed.

    My Albos is planted on my property located about halfway between Houston and San Antonio. Where are you? I thought you were in Virginia.

    Kt

  • orchidnuts
    15 years ago

    I'm not getting many viable seeds and they are even harder to grow out. I planted about 200 seeds and only have 30 plants from the single culm flowering. This year I have at least 5 culms in flower. My tuldoides was in great health with no stress. My thoughts are that tuldoides may be in full flower soon.

  • kentuck_8b
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I've checked both of my tuldoides clumps, and neither show any signs of blooming. They are from different places. I will be keeping a close eye on them.

    Kt

  • tey157
    15 years ago

    kentuck, I'm in Cedar Park just North of Austin.

    Dean

  • hello_c_j_here
    15 years ago

    Any new signs of flowering? No one here in NC has any flowering. Wonder why soem start before others of same variety.

  • kentuck_8b
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Orchidnuts, is your tuldoides a very tight clumper or an open clumper?

    Apparently there are two different types of tuldoides out there. Everyone growing it either has a tight clumper or an open clumper, mine is very open.

    CJ, still showing signs of blooming but I have not found any seeds yet. I will look tomorrow when I have good daylight and some extra time.

    Kt

  • orchidnuts
    15 years ago

    Kt,
    My tuldodes is rather open and I keep it looking like a running grove. It was established in 97 and is quite large now. The culms are about 40 feet tall and around 2" in size. The grove is 15/30 feet in size. I woud hate to dig all that up. I got a variegated seedling last year but it didn't make it. There was so little green in the leaves. The other seedlings show a lot of differences so I will grow them out to 3 gal size and go from there. Clone X may have been found that way.
    Rich

  • kentuck_8b
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks Rich. I do know that a lot of seedlings will emerge with pale yellow leaves which is quite common in new seedlings, but unfortunately, they never survive long.

    My tuldoides was also planted around '97 and is only about 6' X 8' but has culms about 2" in diameter and are close to 40 feet in height. No seeds yet.

    It would be interesting to get a variegated seedling from yours to live. Keep me posted.

    I haven't heard of any other tuldoides blooming.

    Kt

  • kentuck_8b
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I bent an outside culm down where I could get a picture of the top of it. It's not real clear, but you can see how much bloom is on the culms. This culm is about 35 feet tall.

    {{gwi:408552}}

    Kt

  • tey157
    15 years ago

    Wow, that is a lot.

  • orchidnuts
    15 years ago

    My tuldoides looks much the same. Lots of seeds but few are viable. I will keep looking for good ones and plant them out. There are other tuldoides in flower so mine isn't unique. S japonica is in flower at Kanapaha in Gainesville. I'm sure that they would let people have seeds if they visit the gardens. Kanapaha has a great collection of bamboo. I will have some tuldoides seedlings for trade/giveaway later in the year. If any of you have any cold hardy runners I will trade. I want to send some plants to my dad in western New York. I have 3 gal Otatea glauca "Mayan Silver" now. Anyone interested ?
    Rich

  • kentuck_8b
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    My P. japonica has been blooming non-stop since I bought it a few years ago. Even the divisions that I took continued to flower.

    I checked one of my tuldoides and didn't see any signs of flowering, but I haven't checked my other one recently.

    Kt

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