BAMBUSA VULGARIS WAMIN

Probable height in Southern California within 3 years = 8'

Probable ultimate height in Southern California = 10'

Height in habitat = 16'

Loses leaves around 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

Loses canes around 27 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dies around 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

If growing in the ground it prefers to grow in full sun.

A clumping bamboo - rhizomes will not run sideways.

Minimum soil depth required for a healthy plant = 1'

Unrestrained rhizome depth in moist soil = 2'

 

        One of the weirdest, rarest & most desired plants by bamboo collectors. As a small young plant it is not distinctive, but some culms on mature plants bulge dramatically between nodes. The plant is tough & vigorous, with 3" diameter canes.  It was one of the 3 bamboos that survived hurricane Andrew in 1992 at Fairchild Gardens in South Miami.  But Jean Harrington in St Pete had a 3' tall 1 year-old plant that was hit with a 25 degree low in 1955 & killed to the ground.  The bulges on the canes may be affected by growing conditions in a manner similar to Bambusa ventricosa.  A plant came into Quail Gardens in the 80's.  Part of it was planted at Quail Gardens, which is a moist warm climate near the ocean.  Part of it was planted at Gary Stinson's place in Menifee, California which is a low desert climate with dry air, not a lot of water & gets down to freezing regularly every winter.  The plant at Quail was straight with no bulges in 1991.  The first big cane to grow at Gary's house had dramatic bulges, later canes were straight.

        Apparently dramatic pruning is necessary to produce a plant with many bulging canes.  Around 1990 the Gideons in Southern Florida were gathering & growing them for release at some unknown point in the future, that point being forced further into the future by hurricane Andrew in 1992.  The Southern California Branch of the American Bamboo Society has a mother plant but their prices are difficult to predict.  A small plant sold at their spring '91 sale for $200, in the fall they sold another for $30 & at the spring 1994 sale a 15 gallon pot went for $85. A single culm 2' plant in a 3 gallon pot sold for $60 at the September '91 NWABS sale. Small plants are occasionally available from backyard growers in Florida for $100-200 each.  A small plant sold for $50 at the '94 ABS auction in San Francisco.  An 8" pot was offered for $75 at the '95 SCABS fall sale with no buyer found.

BAMBUSA VULGARIS WAMIN STRIATA

        Thin yellow stripes on the canes