Behind the name... Phylostachys bissetii

One of my favorite running bamboo varieties is Phylostachys bissetii. It a very green, dense hedge bamboo that is as aggressive as Golden Bamboo, but so much more beautiful. It is also known to be one of the first bamboo varieties to shoot in the spring and can take extreme temperatures well below zero degrees and is known for good wind tolerance..

It's an all-time favorite in my book - fast growing and very beautiful. Its a classic bamboo, green and lush, yet practical. Its a great bamboo for a pot or container.

As with most bamboo, it has a story. This plant was named after David Bisset who was Superintendent of the Barbour Lathrop Bamboo Garden (a US Department of Agriculture Plant Introduction Station) at Savannah, Georgia from 1924 to 1957. It was introduced in 1941 from Chengdu, China.

Mr. Bissetti helped run a rather impressive public bamboo garden that is still in operation today. Here is some more information on the original bamboo garden now named the Savannah Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens:

The garden's collections began in 1890 when Mrs. H. B. Miller planted three giant Japanese bamboo plants. By 1915 they had formed a bamboo grove, which drew the attention of noted botanist and plant explorer David Fairchild. In 1919 Barbour Lathrop, a friend of Fairchild's, purchased the site and leased it to the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for $1.

Lathrop traveled extensively throughout China and Japan collecting specimens for the garden; the USDA also collected and planted specimens. In 1979 the USDA closed the site. It was deeded to the University of Georgia in 1983 and now forms part of its College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Today the gardens contain more than 140 bamboo varieties, said to be the largest bamboo collection open to the public in North America. Most specimens were planted in the 1920s. It also contains 35 palm species in an effort begun in 1998 by the Southeastern Palm and Exotic Plant Society, as well as collections of vines and daylilies. There are two display gardens:
Cottage Garden - a trial garden where perennials, annuals, and bulbs are evaluated.
Xeriscape Garden - demonstrates low-water landscaping.

Currently, the Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens is currently run by David Linvill, part of the UGA Cooperative Extension.

Couldn't find a good photo of it, but did find this YouTube video that shows off the plant nicely.

This bamboo has simple beauty to it and is a nice overall running bamboo variety. Every plant has a story, even the most modest of them all.

Sean

Mad Man Bamboo

(916) 300-6335

www.madmanbamboo.com

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Bamboo: The odd and unusual

Today, I was milling about the garden with not alot of focus, but with camera in hand. I'm always surprised what I can find when I examine things closer. Here is a collection of oddly growing culms alien-like rhizomes and other oddities.

This photo is of Phylostachys dulcis 'Sweetshoot Bamboo' - there is nothing growing out of the top opening of the nursery container, but there is a fully formed culm growing out of the bottom drain hole with an unusual 90 degree angle.

This photo is of an odd bamboo rhizome from a Bambusa beecheyana 'Beechey Bamboo', exposed with some aerial roots showing. Reminds me of some alien plant life that has landed on earth in a 1950's sci-fi movie.

This photo is of the cymbal shaped culms of Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda 'Chinese Walking Stick'. In China, they make actual walking canes from this plant.

This is Bambusa mutabilis with aerial roots showing. Reminds me of a deep jungle plant, almost one you'd imagine among the dinosaurs.

Bamboo photos that evoked some good imagination on a grey winter day.

Enjoy!

Sean

Mad Man Bamboo

(916) 300-6335

www.madmanbamboo.com

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Now accepting pre-orders for bamboo plants; Spring 2011

Christmas is around the corner, which is hard to believe. For me, its that time of year to start thinking about the re-stocking of bamboo plants for the Spring season which we are already working really hard doing so. This year's inventory will be much larger and we will be carrying alot more of the really popular varieties as well as alot of unique ornamental varieties.

With that in mind, we are now accepting special orders for bamboo plant that will arrive her in late March, early April.

Why special order now?

1) You guarantee you'll get the types of bamboo plants you want because we set them aside for you and only you, tagged with your name.

2) We can meet almost any size order by special ordering.

3) We will honor 2010 pricing for this special order. Take advantage of lower prices now.

We highly recommend special ordering on the following popular varieties:

Clumping

Bambusa multiplex "Alphonse Karr", 5 gal. - $39
Bam. textilis "Weaver's Bamboo", 5 gal. - $39
Bam. tuldoides "Punting Pole Bamboo", 5 gal. - $39
Bam. oldhamii, 5 gal. - $39
Bam. oldhamii, 1 gal. - $13
Bam. ventricosa "Buddha's Belly Green", 5 gal. - $39
Bam. ventricosa "Buddha's Belly Kimmei", 5 gal. - $39
H. hookerianus 'Teague's Blue Bamboo", 5 gal. - $39
Borinda's and fargesia species as well.

Running

Phylostachys bissetti, 1 gallon - $12
Phylostachys nigra, 5 gallon - $39
Phylostachys viridis "Robert Young"

We can also special order unique varieties that are not commonly found, most are $39 for a 5 gallon plant, with some exception. Generally speaking, we can get most any variety you are looking for, just ask.

How do I place a special order?

We will be taking special orders through March 6. Simply e-mail me at sean@madmanbamboo.com with the varieties you want and the quantity of each. I will reply back with a quote. To place a special order, we ask that you pay 50% up front with the remaining balance payable upon pick-up of the plants. We can accept the 50% payment by check,PayPal or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover). We will begin collecting special order deposits in February, but you can start sending your orders by e-mail right now.

Plants will arrive in late March/early April 2011 and we will contact you for pick-up.

We now can accept credit cards!

For our customers convenience, we can now take credit cards on-site and online. Cards accepted include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover.

See a bamboo plant you want? Make an appointment!

We are available by appointment on the weekends. No obligation to buy, you get a one-to-one consultation, a tour of our bamboo garden and if you want you can purchase from our large inventory of bamboo plants. Call or e-mail us to set up your appointment.

See you soon!

Sean

Mad Man Bamboo

(916) 300-6335

www.madmanbamboo.com

How and why bamboo plants get named the way they do... "Teague's Blue"

I'm always fascinated by how plants, specifically bamboo plants, come by their common and scientific names. Always been curious why Himalayacalamus hookerianus "Teague's Blue" was named the way it was.

According to some research by San Marcos Growers, the variety came from a co-founder of the American Bamboo Society named Ken Brennecke. Mr. Brennecke obtained it from the Ponto Nursery in 1985 and subsequently passed a division along to San Diego Horticulturist Bill Teague. Mr. Teague's plant apparently grew well and he passed several divisions along to friends. From there the story emerged that this special variety of Blue Bamboo came from Mr. Teague and the the name "Teague's Blue" became associated with this variety.

Mr. Teague was instrumental in getting the Quail Botanical Gardens established in San Diego County, was an early American Bamboo Society member and was well respected as a horticulturist. Mr. Teague just recently passed away, but what a beautiful plant to have your name associated with as a lasting tribute. To read more about Mr. Teague's life, read here.

To me, it's a fascinating story, and amazes me the path plants take in the horticultural naming process. Sometimes very deliberate and some times, like in this case, in a somewhat evolutionary way.

Cheers!

Sean

Mad Man Bamboo

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Bamboo, cold temperatures and frost

In California, when it dips below 30 degrees in the Central Valley, can't help to feel a bit worried about plants and frost damage. I know, I know that's a warm spell in the Winter for you fellow readers on the East Coast.

Today, I got a call from a customer wanting advice on what to do with her bamboo plants when temperatures dip below normal and the specter of frost comes around.

Here are a few tips to help plan accordingly and hopefully ease some of the anxiety:

1. Know the temperature tolerance of the bamboo variety. I'm sure your saying "Its easy for you to say!" But there is a good source to look this information. Go to www.bambooweb.info. It's a great resource that list characteristics for bamboo varieties like height, sun tolerance and temperature tolerance.

2. Be prepared. If a nighttime temperature get within a couple of degrees of causing damage or you want to protect new tender shoots on a clumping species, be ready to protect the plant. I have found the best defense is to deep mulch around the base of the plant to protect the root mass and to have enough frost blankets (sold at most garden centers) on hand to wrap up the plants. Even a good bed sheet is better than nothing. I do not recommend using plastic sheeting. Or if it happens to be a potted bamboo plant and its mobile, temporarily placing it under an eave or close to the house also helps offer protection.

3. Don't panic. Unfortunately there are freak cold snaps and sometime you can't protect your bamboo plant due to height or girth which makes wrapping impractical. If the bamboo plant does sustain damage, it will start with leaf burn (and drop) and move its way to culm damage. Here is the beautiful part of it, many many examples over the years have shown that even bamboo that is nearly frost burnt to the ground, will come back once temperatures warm in the spring. No guarantee, but it does happen more often than you think. But, for significant damage to occur like that, it takes several days of exposure. And the key to limiting damage was deep mulching around the root mass.

Pictured above is my imperfect wrapping of some newly shooting Bambusa beecheyana and a recently propagated Bambusa ventricosa "Buddha's Belly Bamboo." I wrapped them for different reasons and the temperatures aren't low enough to do any significant damage, if any. But felt compelled to "baby" them. It's overkill, but it makes me sleep better, what can I say!

Hope this is helpful and stay warm!

Sean

Mad Man Bamboo

(916) 300-6335

www.madmanbamboo.com

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Bare bamboo culms...

With winter approaching, it always funny to see these bare culms up in the air, leafless, almost looking dead. These are on clumping bamboo (in this photo - Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo and Bambusa ventricosa 'Buddha's Belly Bamboo') that shoot in the late Summer/early Fall (opposite of their running cousins that shoot in the Spring). These new culms will harden over the winter and once temperatures sustain above 80 degrees, they will begin to leaf out, around May. With these culms shooting above the wall, the plant will create a nice privacy and sound barrier to the street behind us.

Cheers!

Sean

Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA

(916) 300-6335

www.madmanbamboo.com

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Awesome fall red on a bamboo plant...

Snapped this great photo of Phylostachys bambusoides 'Castillon' today. It seems that every year around this time, as temperatures cool, the culms turn a nice shade of red on the side it gets sun. This bamboo is a runner, can take full sun but looks best in some afternoon shade in Sacramento. A ten year in-ground grove can get up to 35 feet tall. Mine is in a large pot. Nice color on this bamboo!

Sean

Mad Man Bamboo

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