You seem to know what you are doing. Nice photos. I think I'm going to try it in a few years when global warming makes the Pacific NW a little more tropical...

Excellent looking bamboo and nice photos!

I have two plants in the ground here in zone 8b that look really nice. They only grow about 10 feet tall here but the culms get to over 3 inches in diameter. They should get taller and larger in your area.

Thanks for posting those pics!

Kudzu, I think they might do well in your area since you are in a similar cold zone.

Kt

Kt-
Thanks for the tip. After you said you were growing them, it got me to thinking...

Kudzu, it often puzzles me how differently things grow in similar zones across the country.

As we seem to have the same zones numbers, the only differnces I would suspect would be the length of our cold spells vs the length in your area and how often the cold spells happen.

Here we have an average of 6 freezing nights or below, each year, but recently we've seen as many as a couple of dozen in one Winter.

The length of the cold spells generally last only a few hours. Just something to consider also.

Our cold winds come from the north, so I planted one Wamin on the south side of some thick brush and trees, and the other is planted next to a building, but on the west side, so it does get some direct north winds.

Neither has ever come close to freezing completely, and the one next to the building has only suffered some leaf burn twice in four years.

Kt

kentuck-
That doesn't sound much different than here...except for last winter where we got a freak snow storm that put 1'-2' on the ground and it lasted for weeks. Some winters it hardly goes below freezing and there is little or no snow. I'm glad to hear your Wamin is tolerating that because I see the listed cold hardiness rating for it is only 30F.

Size of the plant means alot. Got a small plant from Kentuck a few years ago and it couldn't handle lower temps (below 30f). Got a 40 gal wamin and it's doing ok.
FYI - had our first frost last night. Have my wamin at a higher elevation where there is little to no frost. Kentuck - looks like all the Texas schools but A&M have good football teams. What's the deal? Rgds Fred

Yes, size matters. Same with my Oldhamii, once it got some size to it, is does very well here.

Ok, I know, don't rub it in...;) If we win this coming week, we will at least go to a bowl game, but I'm not holding my breath. Football's no fun anymore.

Fred, I've been trying to email you but must have an incorrect address. Anyway, I can wait till next Spring since it is too late in the year now.

Kt

nice, did it grow naturally or did you starve it to get the nice bellys?

Wamin produces 'bellies' once the culms get large, no matter what conditions it grows under.

Wamin is Bambusa vulgaris.

Bambusa ventricosa 'Buddha Belly' is the variety that produces bellies when under stress.

Kt

kentuck_8b is right. I didn't have to do anything to get the nodes to swell.

By the way, I seem to have a continual infestation of scale on mybamboo, accompanied by a constant presence of ladybugs eating the scale insects. Unfortunately, it seems the ladybugs are never able to wipe out the scale. Does anyone else have experience with this?

i want to send this as a house warming present but they live in a cold climate. is this a good plant to keep in a large pot so it can be moved inside when it freezes? anyone? any suggestions?

It does very well in a pot. The larger the pot, the better it does and larger it gets.

It may need to be repotted every 2 or 3 years though.

Kt

Am I to understand that the wamin will do well in a 24" container. That it has to be protected from freezing weather.
Does anyone know where I can buy it?

I actually have a division off my potted wamin if you are interested. It grows perfectly fine as a houseplant.

Just email me at lau1922@yahoo.com

that's my favorite bamboo, and unfortunately has been damaged in our last two freezes. BUT, I took divisions and put them in the greenhouse before this last winter.

I just planted three dwarf buddha bellys here at my home in Fort Myers. I was really impressed by your photos. Would love to hear your tips as to how to make sure i properly care for these. I have read a lot about them online even though there's limited info. I've also talked to my local nursery who's actually very informative. However the wamin they have growing which has been there for three years does not look nearly as impressive as yours!

In particular i want to achieve the tallest possible height possible. I am going to water daily for the first 30 days. I have a 2" thick mulch bed down. The main question i have is on the fertiziler. Do you regularly fertilize? What exactly do you use? should i allow these to get established before fertilizing?

Would love any feedback you can give me. - Chris

Wow -- those are beautiful!

Kt, know of any growing successfully in San Antonio? I forgot in what part of Texas you live.

I still have two clumps and know of no one in the area that grows any. I am between San Antonio and Houston. Be careful since there are a few bamboos called 'Buddha's Belly'.

Wamin, the one in the pics above, and the kind that I have, is not very cold hardy but has survived temps down to the low teens for a few hours at a time but will get leaf burn starting at around 28F.

Keep it planted on the warm side of a building(south) and a building that gives off heat is very helpful also.

Kt

I have a south brick wall where it could go. Kt, I think several years ago on the Texas forum we were talking about planting Satsuma oranges in that location. I did and it's doing very well, even through that super cold winter we had a couple of years ago. But just even finding a Wamin might be a problem. I'm so new on the subject of bamboos that of course I really don't know.

Yes, my satsuma has survived without any damage through the last few low teen and single digit nights in recent Winters.

A similar location is perfect for wamin.

If you cannot find any and wouldn't mind waiting, I may have some by next year at this time but it may be the following year since I haven't been taking great care of mine with the three year drought and extra cold winter nights in previous Winters. It depends on what is in store, weatherwise, the next year or so.

Kt

Kt, thanks so much for the generous offer! We'll see how things go. I visited a large privately owned nursery today, Rainbow Gardens. They had a few bamboos and two looked interesting; Alphonse Karr with it's green striped yellow culms and Golden Goddess, a 'fluffy' one that gets to only 10 ft.. However, the manager said they get a lot of different varieties in the spring so I guess I'll wait and see what they come up with. Talk later ...

I have same question as Chris does up there (Ft. Myers, Fl)
How is this plant cared for? What fertilizer? Etc. TY for any help, I'm getting both the dwarf and the standard in early March, and would love input from you who already grow and care for this plant. :)

Depending on your soil type, it may not need any special attention other than water during very dry spells.

Fertilizing will help speed the growth of the plant. The more sun it gets, the better it looks also, but it will grow in mostly shade also.

Kt

TY Kentuck. I appreciate :)

My favorite too. Here's some from an old clump I dug up and potted.