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Bamboo Identification

Spring time, when the new shoots emerge from the ground, is an excellent time to identify bamboo, but this is no easy task. We have a page with photos of new Spring shoots that you can use as a reference. Click here to go to Bamboo Beauty to see these.

   There are over 1200 documented species or varieties of bamboo worldwide. The 'experts' agree on the following taxonomy of how bamboo is classified. These facts are from the American Bamboo Society's 2005 findings.

KINGDOM : Plantae
PHYLUM ( DIVISION) : Magnoliophyta
CLASS: Liliopsida
SUBCLASS: Commelinidae
ORDER: Cyperales
FAMILY: Gramineae (Poaceae)

SUBFAMILY: Bambusoideae
TRIBE: Bambuseae
SUBTRIBE: bambusinae

More simply put bamboo is a giant grass and is a member of the Gramineae. The subfamily of this class is Bambusoideae. All the types of bamboo such as the cold hardy temperate species fall into a Genus next. An example of this would be the Phyllostachys that we grow many of here in Alabama and through out the U.S. Next comes the Species such as P. nigra. Then the Cultivar of this species such as the Henon. When a cultivar flowers it may or may not create a stable new variety. This happened fairly recently when ( what I consider a unstable cultivar) the cultivar Phyllostachys vivax 'Aureocaulis' started to produce the variety P. vivax 'Huangwenzhu' within the groves of 'Aureocaulis'.

Bamboo differs from many plants in the manner that it has to be identified. The problem lies in the fact that it rarely flowers and this is the easiest way to identify plants. Flowering can vary from a few years up to one hundred and twenty years. Fortunately, the Chinese and Japanese have maintained good records on many species. The rest have been grouped and identified based wholly on vegetative structures.

The culm sheaths that cover the young shoots have many distinctive characteristics and this is the means by which many bamboo have been identified. The sheath color, size, shape and some of the delicate parts such as the auricles and ligule are used to distinguish different bamboo. We have been studying, growing bamboo for over twenty years and have not even scratched the surface. If you are going to collect or try to ID bamboo, I suggest you gather as much information you can.

 

Differences between running and clumping bamboo


 
If running bamboo were going to take over the world, it would have done so thousands of years ago. There are running species (temperate cold hardy, Leptomorph) of bamboo which we love and there are clumping (Pachymorph) species. We dislike the clumping species and specialize in cold hardy runners. I grow around twenty species of clumping bamboo and have never been impressed with their looks or growth rate.
  • Running bamboo can provide a serene privacy screen or a beautiful bamboo grove to walk through. Runners with easy maintenance can make a dense natural screen.
  • Clumpers for screening purposes leave a lot to be desired as they are narrow at the base and weep over at the tops leaving huge gaps between each bamboo plantings.
 
  • There is a running species for most all climate zones. From the cold of climate Zone 5 to the warmth of the tropics, there is a running species suited for all applications.

 

Clumping Bamboo Bambusa Multiplex 'Alfonse Karr'
This is an example of Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr' in climate zone 7. It generally comes back in the Spring if the winter is not too severe. Most of the U.S. is in a climate zone 7 or colder, so you can expect similar to worse results. The green bamboo in the background is temperate running bamboo. If you desire an evergreen privacy screen, running bamboo is the best option.

  • Control of running bamboo is simple and there are numerous methods which we have listed on our web site. Click here to read about growing habits and control methods: Growing Habits
  • Control of clumping bamboo is almost impossible. It is not as aggressive, but is forceful about where it wants to grow. Running bamboo follow the path of least resistance and change directions when they become impeded. Clumpers are persistent and will force their way through obstacles in their outwardly spiraling root path.

We hope to help you find the right bamboo species for your needs and location. Bamboo truly has something to offer all gardeners and plant collectors.




The best way to learn is through books and the internet. Below are just a few of the great books available that we have read and suggest. We have partnered with Amazon.com to give you the best prices and great service for books on bamboo which are coming out new all the time. Click here to see other books Bamboo Books.


This is one of the most useful books on bamboo that is in print today. It contains a lot of information making it fairly technical without a lot of photos.  It introduces us to the oldest, most remarkable resource on the planet. Farrelly tells us about the plant's biology, life cycle and gives tips on harvesting and planting. He also conveys the rich timeless message that bamboo is an abundant resource that could beneficially replace many of the less sustainable materials used in many aspects of our daily lives.




This book has very beautiful photos that aid in identification and offers an A-Z listing with details about each species characteristics. We highly recommend this for lovers of bamboo as well as first time growers.

 


Bamboo can only be properly identified when it shoots, which is a yearly occurrence. Below are example of how different two new culms ( new Spring shoots) can look. On our price list click on the photo of the species, many species have a photo page which show canes, leaves, groves and some shoot photos. 

 New Moso Culm New Henon Culm 
Moso shoot  Nigra Henon shoot

New moso shoots can be identified by the dots or round spots of sooty coloration on the culm sheath. Auricles are dark purplish to brown, fringed with coarse, long oral setae. Blades are long and straight. Sheaths are pubescent on the back.

The sheath blade stands tall at the top of the culms of a henon shoot. It is flanked at its base with a pair of dusky auricles fringed with lavender bristles. The blades are wavy on all members of the nigra family such as the Giant Gray, Black, Hale, Bory, etc.  
  Here is an example of how large Moso shoots can become.


Giant moso shoot

If you wish to see many beautiful photos of new bamboo shoots and how different they are, then click here bamboo shoots
 
 

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1-877-RZN-CANE


 

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