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.
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!
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.
Received a question from a Facebook Fan on my Mad Man Bamboo Nursery facebook page. Question was whether I have run across bamboo with red leaves.
The answer..... no, not full red, sometimes you'll get slight hints of red, like new keaves on Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima.'
and/or cold.
are Himalayacalamus falconeri damarapi 'Candystripe Bamboo', Phylostacys bambusoides 'Castillon' and Semiarundaria yashadake 'Kimmei.'
