Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'spectabilis'

Since I seem to be too busy to make any posts during the summer, I guess I can use my spare time in the winter to blog about the summer.

I guess I'll start with my most successful bamboo so far and probably my favorite. Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'spectabilis'.











I purchased this bamboo from Canada Bamboo World in the Spring of 2010.
Last winter was the first winter the plant spent in ground at the cottage in PEI (zone 5a/b?)

When the plant arrived ( it spent two weeks in transit) I grew it in a pot for the first couple of months and planted it out August of 2010.









I quickly realized that I should get the plant into the ground to get established for it's first winter. It is planted in a spot that gets morning shade and only full sun in the late afternoon and evening.









I covered the bamboo with a piece of plastic for the Winter of 2010 and I was delighted when I uncovered it the Spring 2011. It maintained a lot of green leaves and this helps it kick start photosynthesis early in April, even though it didn't shoot until May 28.

April 2011










May 28, 2011






















Things were progressing fine and then I found some animal damage of some sort. After posting the pic on the bamboo forum, a few people recognized the damage as earwig damage.










The bamboo grew quite quickly, despite our cool Spring and maxed out somewhere around 10+ feet. I was very impressed with the upsize.










Summer 2011









Fall 2011








I covered it with plastic this winter again and look forward another upsize next Spring.

I purchased 2 more 5 gallon spectabilis from Canada's Bamboo World this Spring but I was disappointed. They ripped me off by sending small plants and charging me a lot of money for 5 gallon plastic pots full of soil. I will never order plants from them again because that wasn't only 2 gallon plant they sent me in a 5 gallon pot.

This is what they considered 5 gallon. I was happy with the 5 gallon on the left but the plant on the right was only 1 culm big on a small piece of rhizome. What a rip off.











5 gallon Phyllostachys bisettii










Don't worry, they will refund your money if you pay to ship the plant back across the country. I was so disappointed because they are taking advantage of customers across the country.

Anyway. My spectabilis is doing great and I high hopes for this one. Next winter might be it's first left exposed.


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