Bamboo pictures

Random pictures of a variety of bamboos, most growing here at the nursery or in our neighborhood.
The picture below shows Arrow bamboo that is planted between a concrete drive and a paved parking lot. The bamboo is confined to a strip of soil only two feet wide.  Power lines are directly overhead so each year the utility prunes the bamboo to about 8 feet tall.  The bamboo has grown extremely dense, making a perfect screen to hide the gas station next door.

Arrow bamboo screen

These are canes of Phyllostachys nidularia or Big Node bamboo.  The nodes of this bamboo have raised ridges giving it a distinct look.  The new shoots in the spring are some of the prettiest.

Large nodes of Phyllostachys nidularia

Phyllostachys nidulara new shoots.

Big node bamboo shoots.

Phyllostachys nigra ‘Bory’ is another one of the giants.  It has blue-gray canes much like Henon but with spots of brown.  It is often called Snakeskin or Leopard bamboo.  The picture below was taken the last time we had snow.

Bory bamboo in the snow

Phyllostachys bambusoides ‘Castilion’ is a beautiful giant bamboo with buttery yellow canes that have bright green stripes that alternate side to side on each internode.

Giant Castillion canes

David Bisset bamboo is one of the more cold hardy bamboos.  It makes a very dense grove with canes very close together.  It is ideal for screening.  The shoots come up very early in the spring.  The pictures below will help to ID this bamboo.

New Shoot

David Bisset bamboo shoot

These swollen nodes at the base of canes give this bamboo it’s name “Green Onion Bamboo“. It is the same bamboo as Arrow but has the swollen nodes.