History and plants: The story behind "Alphonse Karr" bamboo

Its funny to think about how plants are named an who named them. I'm always amazed by a clumping bamboo, Bambusa multiplex "Alphonse Karr", a rather common bamboo that you can find at most nurseries. But in this case "Alphonse Karr" happens to be a rather spectacular plant - it grows really well in the Sacramento region, is perfect for an upright privacy screen and has beautiful ornamental features. Yellow, with green stripes and shades of vibrant red, this plant is more than common, its almost like looking at art, very striking.

I appreciate history and was quite happy to find the background on the name behind this spectacular bamboo plant in the December 2008 edition of Bamboo Magazine. Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, a 19th Century French writer, satirist and newspaper man, born in 1808 found a love for plants when he moved to Nice, France in 1855. Known in the literary world for writing 12 novels and sering as the editor of the French weekly satirical, Le Figaro.

He later became known for his founding of the cut flower trade along the French Riviera and no one quite knows the tie to the famous bamboo, but either someone ion the 19th Century plant world named it after him for his love of plants (or a fan of his writings) or perhaps observed traits of a bamboo plant owned by Mr. Karr.

Something not given much thought usually, but fascinating nonetheless. Every plant has a story.

Cheers!

Sean

Bamboo and Tabasco sauce

Being a member of the American Bamboo Society, I get a copy of Bamboo Magazine, which I really enjoy. The June 2009 edition had an article on Avery Island, Louisiana, the home of E.A. McIlhenny's world famous Tabasco sauce. On the island is Jungle Gardens a 250 acre preserve that features exotic plants including large bamboo groves, one is a Moso grove planted by McIlhenny himself in 1910. If you have never seen Phylostachys edulis "Moso", it maxes out at 75 feet tall with 7 inch diameter culms, one of the largest in the world. And, the culms have a light fur on them, really nice texture.

I'll have to put Avery Island on my "must-visit" list for sure.

More info can be found here.

Cheers!

Sean

Attention Sacramento "Green Thumbs"........... a plant sale for you.

If you live in the Sacramento area, check out this plant sale where Mad Man Bamboo will be at (yes, a shameless plug) and The Golden Gecko Nursery (owned and operated by fellow garden blogger, Trey Pitensberger). Here is the excerpt from the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club's Newsletter:

"Sacramento Perennial Plant Club
9th Annual Vendor Sale
Unusual Plants and Garden Treasures
March 21, 2009, Saturday, 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Shepherd Garden and Arts Center at McKinley Park
Speaker: 12:00 noon

The March meeting will be replaced with this special event. Amber Tippett from Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply in Grass Valley will be the featured speaker (at noon) about “Growing Organic…For Life.”

Some of the nurseries participating in the sale have web sites; go online and see the variety of plants that will be available. This is a great opportunity for you to visit many wonderful specialty nurseries in one location and not have to spend your money on gas.

In this time of financial hardship, it is important that we support these small businesses. They are the people who are propagating and selling the rich variety of plants that we have come to love and can not find at the big box stores. Without the small independent nurseries, the look of our gardens will change forever. Many of the plants sell for $5.00 - $10.00 so come support the nurseries and buy one or two special plants to add to your spring planting. Tell your neighbors and friends about the sale, and we hope to see you there.

On this date a grand selection of both new and favorite vendors will arrive with their specialties from the outlaying areas to provide a wonderful collection of plants and gardenrelated art. To name just a few Vendors and what they will be bringing: Back again--Morningsun Herb Farm, Vacaville, herbs galore; Golden Pond, Loomis, aquatic plants & miniature water gardens; Canyon Creek Nursery, Oroville, shrubs, perennials and annuals; Native Springs Nursery, Oroville, Mediterranean and California native plant; Glen Rowley from Magalia and his original handmade birdhouses; Monte Cristo Farm, Placerville, Azaleas and Rhododendrons; Golden Gecko Nursery, Garden Valley and Bob Tadlock, Garden Valley,with shrubs and perennials; Mad Man Bamboo, Rocklin, and Friends of San Juan de Oreinte, Sacramento, pottery.

First time Vendors that you won’t want to miss Twisted Metal, Sacramento, The Secret Garden, Elk Grove, Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply, Grass Valley, plants and gardensupplies; Kevin Henry, Vermidragon Farm, worm castings; Merlyn Lenear, Stockton,The OG, succulents and succulent wreaths.

Most of the Vendors are donating something special for our Raffle. Last year, both Golden Pond and Morningsun Herb Farm created wonderful large pots of outstanding plants.There were many other terrific items as well. The raffle will be held at 10 AM, 11 AM and 1:30 PM. Participants must be present to win. The proceeds from this event help to fundour work supporting community gardens and local horticulture projects.

Bring your garden related questions to the Master Gardeners’ table. They will be there to help you with a plant, soil or bug related problem.

Our perennial plant club will be selling used garden related books and magazines. If you have any to donate please bring them either to the Center on Friday, late-afternoon, or earlySaturday morning, the day of the sale. We also need you look in your garden for what is blooming and bring in a sample (just one bloom or branch) of the plant and label it. We willhave a display table.

For those of you unable to volunteer your time for club events, there is a very important way that you could still help out the club and yourself: Drop by and support the event! It isfun and informative, and provides a chance to buy plants that are unusual, extra healthy and the grower is present to answer your questions. This is an important contribution that youwill be making!"

See you there my fellow "green thumbs."

Sean

Trip to the Golden Gecko Nursery

Had a great weekend. Made a visit to Trey (the Blogging Nurseryman, owner of the Golden Gecko Nursery) in Garden Valley, CA. Bought some really nice half wine barrels and some vegetable starters - "Bright Light" Swiss Chard, potato starts, chives, spinach, sugar snap peas seeds, saucer squash and brussel sprout starts. My daughter helped my wife pick the vegetables while Trey and I chatted.

Trey showed me the creek behind his nursery (amazed how the latest storms made a big impact) and told me about the German photographer who made a trip to Trey's neck of the woods to photograph ladybug sanctuaries. Trey has some really cool photos on his blog of the ladybugs he saw. Really amazing.

Got home and my daughter and I drilled holes in the wine barrels, planted the brussel sprouts and chard in one barrel, cut the potato starts in two to get ready for planting this weekend and have the other two barrels ready for planting this weekend.

Once we get the other two barrels planted, I will be getting a horse trough ready (formerly filled with Black Bamboo) for planting tomatoes and basil. Also, the blueberries are doing well in the other wine barrel we bought from Trey a couple of months ago. They will be ready for picking, mid-summer.

Good times.... temperatures are heading into the 70's this weekend, looking forward to getting out in the garden.

Here's to a bountiful spring,

Sean

Blogger in hiding and blueberries

Yes I do live (thanks Katie)!

I'm around. Just really busy.... work.... life.... you know how it goes.

So, a little spark of Spring came alive this weekend.

It has been unseasonably warm in California. Its nice and all, but quite frankly, I'm afraid of what is ahead with respect to water supply. California is in a water crisis, approaching the dire drought levels of the 1970's. The last time we were here.... leisure suits were the hit and disco was the rage. The "D" word, yikes!

A little bliss for me this weekend was to travel to Trey's (yes, the blogging nurseryman from Golden Gecko) nursery in Garden Valley and purchase two varieties of Southern High Bush Blueberry bushes and a really nice wine barrel. Not only were the bushes nice, but Trey is a really nice guy. After they (Trey and his wife, Monica) helped us load the items in our car, we chatted for awhile about the economy, the nursery industry and the crazy days we live in. After that, we had lunch at Rosey's, a roadside family-owned cafe in Garden Valley, upon suggestion of Trey.

Excited to get back home, I planted the bushes without haste. Now, its a waiting game. Fresh, home-grown blueberries in late Spring through mid-Summer. I can hardly wait.

Cheers everyone!

Sean

A nice day....

My wife came up with a great idea a couple of weeks ago.... buy tickets to the Placer County Farm and Barn Tour. Best $20 we spent, in six hours my family got to:

1. See sheep dogs in action,

2. Swing on a tire swing,

3. Check out an organic farm,

4. Pick our own pumpkin (or five to be exact),

5. Hear from our kids, "Its cool to see where our food comes from...",

6. Go on a hay ride with a 60 year old Ford tractor,

7. Sample honey from a local beekeeper,

8. Buy a couple of Christmas gifts from local craftspeople,

9. Get lost a few times on some country roads;

10. Visit an iris farm.

Great day, we will be doing the farm tour again next year.

Have a great evening......

Sean

Toastmasters Speech: The Wonderful World of Bamboo; One Happy Garden Punk

One Happy Garden Punk

I had a bamboo plant sale this past Saturday and finally met Katie at Garden Punks. Katie ended up buying bambusa multiplex "Alphonse Karr," [pictured] a clumping bamboo that has ornamental beauty and serves as a great privacy hedge. Based on Katie's post, she seems to be one happy Garden Punk with her new bamboo plant. Maybe another "bamboo geek" in the making? We shall see. More on Katie's experience here.

Toastmasters Speech: The Wonderful World of Bamboo

Never fails. I was ready to give my Toastmasters speech today at noon and sure enough, I was called away to another work matter and wasn't able to attend my lunchtime Toastmaster's meeting. Oh well, I'll keep this one in my hip pocket for another day. But, hey, why not share with you all:

"The Wonderful World of Bamboo

Your planting bamboo! Eeek!

Don’t you know that that stuff will take over your yard, your neighbor’s yard?

Bamboo is a misunderstood plant that people fear because they heard a story from long ago or blindly planted it without doing the research necessary.

Or they were misled by a “nursery professional” eager just to offload a plant and make a quick buck.

I own a small backyard nursery and have about 60 types of bamboo plants in my collection.

I often hear horror stories about bamboo, but I am finding that my customers are doing the research and embracing bamboo as a plant with huge potential.

Bamboo, after all, serves many purposes;

It’s beautiful – it comes in many colors, sizes and shapes and brings something special to the garden.

Its functional – they come in both running and clumping species.

Runners are the aggressive version of bamboo that causes fear. If planted in a decorative pot or if you have some space, it can serve as a beautiful addition.

[Demo running graphic]

Runners can fit in a suburban garden; however, a 2 ½ foot deep plastic rhizome barrier is a necessity

Over the past decade, clumping bamboo has been introduced to the U.S and offers a less aggressive alternative. Clumping bamboo grows slower and at a much smaller distance making it easily controllable.

[Demo clumping graphic]

Bamboo has environmental benefits –

A grove of bamboo sequesters 35% more carbon than an equivalent stand of trees.

It’s a great alternative to hardwoods and regenerates quickly, in a matter of years, not decades like a forest.

The fastest culm growth has been clocked at 2 inches an hour in some species.

Bamboo was the only living thing to survive at ground zero of the 1945 Hiroshima atomic blast and its survival allowed for the quick re-greening of Hiroshima .

So how can you become educated about bamboo?
With the increasing popularity of bamboo, there are a lot of resources out there to learn more.
One is the American Bamboo Society, which I am a member of, that publishes scientific journals and a more user friendly magazine for members. They have a couple of public sites:

www.americanbamboo.org

www.bambooweb.info

These sites have pictures, plant information and sources to by bamboo. My business happens to be on this site.

There are also many books that have been published that are great resources.

Also, there are many folks out there, especially through the American Bamboo Society, that are more than willing to answer questions about bamboo.

After doing the research, you’ll find that bamboo will likely serve many purposes.

OK, I leave with a new trick - how to determine a runner from a clumper (not 100% applicable, but is in most cases).

[Demo this - for most bamboos, you can tell a runner by the vertical groove on the culm, for a clumper it is all smooth with no vertical groove]

With a little education, bamboo goes from an “invasive weed” to a functional, beautiful plant that can offer privacy, lend beauty and, dare I say, maybe even help save the planet?

That bit of education is all it takes to get to know and appreciate the Wonderful World of Bamboo."

Have a nice evening!

Sean