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Bamboo - Dracaena sanderiana
Oh man I'm sorry this plant was ever introduced
to this country. I have received many emails asking about how to care
for this plant. I used to answer but it has become such a burden that
I'm sorry to say I usually just delete them now. This plant has some resemblance
to bamboo with a jointed stem but is not a bamboo. It is usually grown
in a container of water with pebbles. Itis often seen in Asian restaurants.
It is now available in Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Home Depot, flea markets - you
name it. If you do a search for Lucky Bamboo you will be overwhelmed with
the number of results.
Japanese
Knotweed - Polygonum cuspidatum (sometimes known
as Mexican Bamboo)
Japanese Knotweed is a perennial that spreads
by rhizomes. It has stems that are jointed somewhat like bamboo. This,
along with it's rapid spread is probably why it is sometimes mistaken
for bamboo. However, it has heart shaped leaves and creamy white flowers.
It can reach 5 to 10 feet in heigth and produces new canes each spring
forming a dense thicket. The dead stems and leaves decompose slowly and
form a thick mulch which, along with the dense growth, prevent other plant
seeds from germinating. The rhizomes can spread up to 20 feet from the
parent plant and as deep as 8 feet. It forms a rapidly spreading mono-culture
and is considered an invasive pest. It can reproduce from very small pieces
of the rhizome or fresh stems. You can find lots of information about
this plant by doing a search for Japanese Knotweed. Here are a few links.
Plant Conservation
Alliance
USDA
National Invasive Species Informataion Center
The
Nature Conservancy
Heavenly Bamboo - Nandina domestica
I'm not sure
why this plant is sometimes mistaken for bamboo. It has woody stems, white
flowers, and red berries in the fall. I suppose the very erect, straight
stems are the reason but they are not jointed and are usually brown and
woody looking. A nice shrub but not realated to bamboo.
Giant
Reed - Arundo donax
This plant has canes much like bamboo but the leaves are long and tapered
and attach directly to the canes(not to limbs that attach to cane). The
canes will easily sprout new plants from the nodes and the rhizomes are
easily divided to produce new plants. I've had this growing beside a pond
and canes that fall over into the water routinely sprout new plants at
each node on the cane. It has become a pest in many areas and has invaded
many rivers in California. It has a large seed head at the end of each
growing season. The canes are used to make reeds for musical instruments
and the variegated form makes a pretty landscape plant.
Horsetail
- Equisetum hyemale
The stems of this plant superficially resemble bamboo due to colored bands
that appear to be nodes, much like a bamboo cane. It grows in wet areas
and makes a pretty addition to a water garden or bog. It is often called
the Scouring Rush as it's high silica content make it ideal for scrubbing
pans and polishing metal. This plant has also become an invasive pest
in many parts of California. It is sold in most nurseries in the water
garden section. I have both a dwarf form and a very large form growing
beside my pond.
Bamboo
Palm
The
Bamboo Palm(Chamaedorea seifritzii or C. erumpens) is sometimes mistaken
for bamboo. Probably because the stems have white stripes thatresemble
bamboo's nodes.
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