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Propagating and transplanting black bamboo

18 years ago

I did a little search but feel that I still need to ask these questions.

First of all, I was allowed to dig some black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) from a local businesss recently. It's June and this is Texas so it's already in the 90's but this was the opportunity presented. I didn't get much in the way of roots on most of the plants because of the rocky soil... just too hard to dig it out. In fact, some came out easier by just yanking them out and I didn't really notice an appreciable difference in the resultant amoung of roots. By the way, the plants looked like they were doing just fine in this soil but they haven't spread much in the five years they've been there as a result. I put one big one in the ground at my house in the vicinity of a creek. It's not getting water from the creek but the soil there is deep and will hold the moisture after watering pretty well. The rest were put into large pots and are on the deck. All locations are shaded most of the day.

I didn't cut them back at all because I wanted leaves to be able to produce CHO's to regrow roots. I don't know how well the limited root systems will support the foliage, however. Should I just keep an eye on them and cut back based on the foliage responds? I didn't know how much CHO's bamboo would store in the cane/culm and was thinking probably not much and there isn't much rhizome left. The one I planted in the backyard is probably 15' tall and there's not much to support all that top but I haven't cut it back any yet. So, are they all likely doomed?

Lastly, I understand that Black Bamboo doesn't propagate very easily from cuttings. Is that true of all, most or just some bamboo? Is it true for this one?

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Comments (4)

bradmm
Original Author
18 years ago
My computer was getting choked so I had to submit that portion of my message before I lost it completely... I hate it when that happens!

Anyway, I was about done but I was going to conclude by asking, what are the options for propagating Black Bamboo? I believe I've seen this answered somewhere but I was just thinking that I bet someone here knows the answer.

Thanks,

Brad
Scott Wallace
18 years ago
Only the clumpers can be propagated using cuttings.

The only way for you to propagate your P Nigra is exactly the way you did...through division. Since you didn't get much roots, i would top at least half of the culm so that there is enough root mass to support what is left.

Then it is wait and see.
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Hello, The first question to ask is "Is your bamboo a running bamboo, or a clumping bamboo?" If its a runner (leptomorph), it's very difficult and most times impossible to propagate from the cane, unless you're growing from tissue culture. If it's a clumping bambo, you might be in luck. There is only one clumping species of bamboo that I know of that could live in your zone. It's the Fargesia species and subspecies. I'm not sure of fargesia's culm propagation success rate is, but here's how I propagate mine. I cut part of the culm with 2-3 nodes intact. I like to use culms with buds that have not branched yet. I bury them in pot in a slightly off kilter vertical position leaving one bud just sticking out of the soil. Put it in the shade, or keep it in the house this time of year until spring. In one pot I usually put five cuttings in because with some species you may only have a twenty percent success rate, so it's a good chance you'll get at least one plant per pot. Also, any soil including sand will work, but the most important thing is that you not let the plants roots dry out for even one day. After a couple few months, you should have some leaves. You can then slowly introduce direct sunlight. Just shade the pot, but not the plant, because a potted plant does not have the same advantage of plants in the ground of staying cool. Now, having said all that, I sure hope your not talking about lucky bamboo. Here's a pic of the bamboo that I propagate from the culm and roots, and branches through air layering. These matured to five inches thick.
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Last month I got a bunch of black bamboo from a friend. I got it in two forms: two-foot lengths of 3/4 inch thick rhizome, and large clumps of earth containing culms, rhizomes, and roots. To harvest the large clumps, the culms were sawed down to about eight inches. Then, the clumps were dug up by tractor. The rhizomes were laid in a trough of loose soil in the garden, and a month later they are exhibiting good growth. So, I'd suggest that you harvest lengths of healthy rhizome, and ship the rhizome in soil that will keep the roots moist. I'm no expert, but it seems to me that the sooner your friend gets the rhizomes in the ground, the better his/her chance of success. Josh
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Wait till they get full size and branch out. Then dig up the plant with the roots and all and transplant.
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I don't know if you killed it, but you may have shocked it when you dug it up, particularly if you disturbed the root ball too much. Also, if the clump you dug up was a newish clump, it might have been too soon to transplant. Sometimes when bamboo is transplanted it will completely defoliate, and then get new leaves a couple of months later. Or, the culms may completely die, but the root ball may be ok and will put up new growth in a year or two. Or, you may have killed it completely. All you can do at this point is to keep watering it and not remove any culms prematurely (unless they turn tan and are clearly dead). Only time will tell.
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kudzu9
18 years ago
Brad-
For what it's worth in the future, you really need to get a decent size rootball (soccer ball size or larger) to have a good chance of success. Field division success rates are always unpredicatable, so yours may survive. Almost all bamboo are hard to get out. That's why you need shovels, Sawzalls, demolition bars, and 1 or 2 friends to help. You excavate all around the plant, and when you encounter rhizomes, you need to cut through them. When you get down 10-12 inches, you should be able to get under the root ball and start prying it out. Then you need to thoroughly wet it, get the root ball in a garbage bag to prevent drying, and get it in the ground pronto.
tr4k2tr4k_gmail_com
13 years ago
Hi i had a friend who owned a small bonsai/Japanese Nursery he had the black bamboo in shade all year since it easy scorched in our area with the summer heats, anyways i helped him divide lots of his black bamboo several times he would divide a clump every 2-3 years and he would get at least 5 plants each time he did.

he has tremendous success after he divided the clump he would plant the divisions put them on a semi-shade area 4-6hr of filtered sun was what the bamboo use to get after 2 weeks he would place it with the rest of his black bamboo and it always lived.

i think your potted bamboo will do well if you place them on a filtered sun area good luck

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