Bamboo

In 2015 I discovered that I could grow a plant here that I never would've though I could. I was researching hardy plants and came across bamboo, specifically the phyllostachys types. Living in zone 6b, I never thought I could grow this gorgeous huge plant.  So after a few months research I headed off to Bear Creek Nursery in Eureka Springs Arkansas just about a 3 hour drive West-Southwest of me. There I saw several types, but they had only one of the types I had written down available for sale at that time as it was already nearing midsummer. But the one they had was sure a nice one (Phyllostachys Vivax Aureocaulis) and I bought it.

The parent grove of Phyllostachys Vivax Aureocaulis at Bear Creek Nursery

2015

Soon after planting in its new home

First Fall

2016

Second Fall

2017

How it looks now after 2 full years in the ground.

Vivax covered for cold snap(2016/17)

After having the Vivax for a year I decided to buy another bamboo that was a tad hardier as I'm told Vivax isn't the 'best' choice for zone 6b.  I ordered Phyllostachys Atrovaginata from an internet bamboo nursery(Maya Gardens Inc.) 

2016

2017

Finally, I will conclude this post with some later discoveries about both plants.

It turns out I was really blessed with the Vivax Aureocaulis. Vivax is sometimes known to send out culms of other varients of vivax and every shoot of my plant has come up as Vivax Huengwenzhu Inversa(sp?) instead of the Aureocaulis type. Both are beautiful but mine is I think even rarer than Aureocaulis so hooray :)

Hwengwenzhu Inversa Pattern

After posting a picture of my Atrovaginata shoots to bambooweb, some experienced bamboo enthusiasts had doubts as to whether it is really Atro, however young plant shoots often defy identification so time will tell.

Mystery Shoots

And that concludes todays posts. Please feel free to leave feedback.