EL DORADO HOT SPRINGS

            El Dorado Hot Springs is a natural and unspoiled, clean, rustic 7 acre desert oasis in Tonopah (Indian for "hot water under  the bush"),  40 miles West of Phoenix, near I-10 on a paved road with services.   Photos taken in 2004-2005.

                                                                                           

           Planted 1997 -   Bambusa multiplex alphonse karr     B. beechyana             B. oldhamii                 B. ventricosa 

            15 gallon pots of Bambusa vulgaris vittata, Phyllostachys bambusoides, Semiarundinaria fastuosa all died, probably because the owner did not understand how to protect new bamboo plants from dry winds, winter temperatures in the 20s and summer temperatures above 110.   Otatea aztecorum plants probably died because of inadequate watering by untrained workers.
 
Planted 1998 -                                                     
                                                 Bambusa textilis             Bambusa dolichoclada        Phyllostachys nigra henon
 
          Their Phyllostachys nigra henon has a growth spurt every spring but holds a lot of brown leaves and doesn't look happy.  Their Phyllostachys nigra and vivax probably died because the new plants were not protected from dry winds.   Dendrocalamus asper probably died because of inadequate water.

        Note from owner - 'the clumpers are doing better than the runners with beecheyana and oldhamii in the lead; both beecheys sent up two 2" thick (or more) culms. Some of the textilis is very happy as is the dolichoclada. The Alphonse Karr is running away bushy, but not tall. VERY thick.  Ventricosa is very thick with lots of stalks.  The runners develop brown tips on their leaves and don't seem to grow much in summer.'