I went to a local nursery in San Diego and noticed that it had Beesheyana in 15-gallon container but it looked strikingly the same to the oldhamii (which they also had in a 15 gallon-container). How do I tell the difference between these two varieties when they are both at small size?

Thanks,

Kiet

This is the reason that I believe that mine are one and the same plant. According to the ABS website, Oldhamii is more erect and has longer internodes, whereas the Beechyana has shorter internodes and the culms arch outward.

Mine are both tight clumpers with similar branches and leaf size, and have very erect growth habits.

When small, many bamboos resemble others very closely, so don't mix up the labels on the plants.

Kt

I have heard, though, that some bamboo at the New Orleans zoo (in the South America exhibit) is oldhamii. There, it is definitely not in tight clumps; there's enough room between culms to walk through and feel like it's a bamboo grove. The one unknown that I can't account for is how much this "grove" is groomed to maintain spacing between the culms.

That's my half-a-cent worth.

Dave