I had just bought four 5 gallon containers of Phyllostachys nigra "Hale". I had a little problem transporting them home, which resulted in breaking two extremely long culms at the top of each shoot.
One damaged culm is 12 ft. tall. It is softer and more flexible like a whip, but, unfortunately, was broken in three places at the top foot of the shoot.
The other damaged culm is about 7 ft. tall. It is more woody and harder than the other shoot that was broken. This shoot was broken at a foot and a half from the top.
My husband and I put splints on each culm where they broke, gave them more support by resting them against our fence, and gave everyone a good soaking.
What can I expect to now happen to these two culms? Will they continue to grow? If so, how tall could I expect them to be? Because of these culms breaking where they did, would this influence, like lessen, any future growth of each bamboo plant in each of their individual containers? Is there anything else we can do for these culms? Did my husband and I do the right thing by putting these splints on them?
Thank you for your time and attention to my message!

Mary

Many bamboo vendors ship a clump of 2 or 3 culms, truncated leaving only one or two nodes with branches and leaves, since the reduced root system can't support the nutrient/moisture demands of all the foliage of the full height culms.

I've seen culms pushed over by kids at ground level, with the bend point being pretty well spintered, but the foliage of the entire culm stays alive and green with the culm lying on the ground.

I don't think your bamboo will have any problems surviving the transport damage. It may not make it for other reasons, but for the that damage.

Get it planted in rich soil and keep it moist.