If you want an extensive photo reference for a large variety of bamboo, browse the photo library at BambooWeb...

Here is a link that might be useful: BambooWeb Photos

kudzu,
Thanks for that link. It will come in handy.

However, for someone like myself who is new to bamboo varieties, it's helpful to see the culms side by side like in the above picture.
It's kind of like learning the basic ABC's for quick identification. This has its limitations as I'm sure some varieties are similar looking and not so easily distinguished by just looking at the culms. But it's a starting place.

the
Phyllostachys glauca

when i looked up pictures i had a hard time finding ones with a similar blue. im looking into some unique bamboo for next season and prepping for it, blue / black / yellow are what im going for. but anyhow does the glauca turn after a few years like the black bamboos?

Do you mean Phy. glauca 'Yunzhu'? It gets brown spots on it, but it won't turn black like nigra.