Many types of black bamboo....

This is Phylostachys nigra punctata 'Giant Black'. Gets to 60 feet tall with 4 inch culms. There is another variety called 'Daikokuchiku' that comes from a grove in Folsom that is about 57 feet tall, fairly rare and hard to get. To give some perspective, regular black grows to about 30 feet tall max with 2 inch culms. There is a smaller version that I am hoping to get as a trade here soon that was referrred to as "Baby Black Bamboo" formal name is Phylostachys nigra 'Hale'. 20 feet max. These are all running bamboo, but they perform really well in containers, like large pots or horse troughs.

Cheers!

Sean

From ugly horse trough to bamboo container with style....

I was given some plastic horse feeding trough's by a co-worker a while back. I am wanting to screen my back wall with some of the large running bamboo I have growing in containers. So, I ordered some bamboo edging and attached it to the sides of the plastic horse troughs with copper wire. I'm pretty happy with the result. The one pictured is going to be home for a really nice Giant Black Bamboo that I have that is jet black and probably 25 feet tall. It will probably get up to 40 once it gets established in the container.

Cheers!

Sean

Hard freeze, what hard freeze?

Finally had a chance today to go outside while it was still light out. Lifted the frost blanket I had on the Mexican Weeping Bamboo and the Bambusa Oldhamii "Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo," and no damage, woo hooo! All my other bamboo in the ground looks unfazed by the weather. Hard freeze, what hard freeze? Did pretty good. I'm a happy man!

Cheers!

Sean

Bamboo in a playground

Bamboo plants I donated to the City of Roseville for a jungle themed playground (Mel Hamel Park) in north Roseville. It is Bambusa multiplex "Golden Goddess" and its hedged low. Uncut it grows to about 10 to 12 feet tall, full sun and is a clumping bamboo. "Golden Goddess" refers to the culms that turn a golden yellow as it ages. Finally got around to visiting the park to see how it was planted. Definitely works for the theme.

Cheers!

Sean

Bamboo forest

By invitation, I visited a 50 year old grove of Japanese Giant Timber Bamboo at a private residence in Citrus Heights, CA this past weekend. Wow, what a site! Phylostachys bambusoides 'Japanese Giant Timber Bamboo' gets up to 72 feet tall and can get 6 inch culms.

That's thinking outside the box when it comes to commercial landscaping

Driven by the Panda Express on Rocky Ridge Road in Roseville, CA many times and never noticed that they have bamboo planted in front of the establishment. It was hedged and looked nice. Upon a closer look, they planted what appeared to be Phylostachys aurea, which is pretty common and something a little less common, Phylostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis; which gets really nice vivid red coloring when its cold and exposed to sunlight. Good to see bamboo used in commercial landscaping. That's thinking outside the box!

Like blue bamboo? Try Yushania boliana...

This is Yushania boliana, a clumping bamboo that grows to 24 feet max with 2 inch culms and has a really nice blue coloring. According the the American Bamboo Society 2009 Source List, this comes from Sichuan, China via the Fuji Bamboo Garden in Japan. From my understanding this is one of the varieties that has ties to bamboo pioneer, Gerald Bol. Yushania boliana needs afternoon shade in the Sacramento area. We have one of these in stock right now and more coming in the Spring.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo Nursery - Rocklin, CA

Phone: (916) 300-6335
Website: http://www.madmanbamboo.com/
E-mail: sean@madmanbamboo.com
Facebook Page for Mad Man Bamboo Nursery