Himalayacalamus Hookerianus

[Mark W]

Hi
I bought one of these in late summer last year and according to Michael Bells book Temperate Bamboos, looked like -10 was about its limit.
Having other types which are bullet proof, I didn't really give it any thought except when the canes started collapsing when the temps went below 0 and the leaves looked frost damaged. Reading further these really are quite delicate and I'm hoping the rootstock may be ok and throw up a culm or two that I can start again. It has such lovely colouring on the new culms which appeared in the autumn.
All canes are dead except for 1 which still has colour (not quite the right colour) about two inches from the soil.

So my question is this, does anyone else have this and have any culms appeared yet or do you know if underground all will be well? It can stay where it is all year if there is any hope...

Hopefully yours

Mark

[musa_monkey]

Yes i have had one for several years. It really can't cope with our weather and it dies back to the ground here every year. Worst i saw last winter was -12c. It does grow back from the root stock very year or at least has done for me so far. This year is no exception and i can see circa half a dozen culms appearing the largest of which is maybe 4" long as of today.

Dont give up on it but dont expect it to look great over wiinter either !!

[Mark W]

Thanks for that Alan I'll be a little more optimistic now. Do you even bother trying to protect the culms in winter other than a mulch?

I just wish I'd taken some pics of it last year.....maybe later this year fingers crossed.

[Clive]

Ive also had one in a pot for 3 years... last winter it was fine, but this year it lost all its leaves and looked very dead. Fortuantely it now has lots of new growth and even the old culms look to be coming back.

I think the main issue was it being in a pot as Ive seen a few people say that pots arent good as they dry out...

[jacko]

lost mine 2 years ago to the winter temps. shame really because its a lovely bamboo just wish it was a bit hardier.

[musa_monkey]

Thanks for that Alan I'll be a little more optimistic now. Do you even bother trying to protect the culms in winter other than a mulch?

I just wish I'd taken some pics of it last year.....maybe later this year fingers crossed.

I dont protect it in any way, i just let it get on with it. In spring i do water and feed heavily and this seems to stimulate growth and it comes back quite rapidly.

[Mark W]

I havent fed it yet so may give that a go..see if that kicks it up the backside

[markies]

Hi has your Hookerianus kicked into life yet?

Mine is still showing no signs of life - although the roots do seem ok (it is in a large pot)

I'd be gutted if I lost this but not as gutted if the borinda papyrifera doesn't show any life.

The p. nigra and the p. aureocaulis are doing well however, and my darling wife bought me a f. murielae for my birthday which is also doing very well

[Mark W]

Hi, no sign as yet and I'll be gutted also.
I'm really resisting digging it up. I'm hoping warmer weather will do something.
Fingers crossed!!

[markies]

Many thanks for the reply Mark - let's keep our fingers crossed. Perhaps the winter to the hot spring has been from one extreme to the other without a suitable wake up period in between?

[Mark W]

I must say that 2 of my other bamboos have been very slow P. Vivax which is slowly putting up two culms although new leaves have been put out and a Chimonobambusa marmorea variegata that is bushing out but no culms. So like you I have checked the roots of the Hookerianus...they look healthy. Just need to get some culms going which can then be protected in the winter.

I bought mine from Crocus on one of their open days last year. I was there last weekend and hoped to buy another, just incase, but they had none. I guess it may be too early which again gives me hope

Cheers

[markies]

Cheers Mark - that does give me hope

[jacko]

im in the same boat as you folks with my borinda papyrifera.i dont want to dig it up just incase and there is no life on it at all.

[markies]

yes my B pap is just "dried sticks" at the mo - but I did email Mike at Jungle Giants and he said that none of his had put on any new growth this year yet.

If the B pap doesn't survive - I will be close to tears.....

[Lazlo Woodbine]

My papyrifera has come back nicely despite being down to its last leaf over the winter. - plenty of new foliage.

The Yunnan 3b was also raised to the ground - its got new leaves at the base - but no sign of new culms yet.

Kew Beauty lost 70% of its foliage and all of last years new culms. 8 new ones this year so far - alll around 4-5ft tall.

Castillonis inversa ..... started new culms in earlyMarch!?
Only had 4 last year - 8 new ones so far this....
Not supposed to shoot until late summer...

All of the above have only been a year in the garden - so I'm reasonably happy - all things considered.

the Hookeranius however ... despite being indoors all winter, has lost all leaves with regrowth on only one ....

Laz