Kea has been reading up on Bamboo! She is getting ready to help propagate several species of Bamboo to grow for timber, as well as for ornamental purposes.
Tropical Plant Propagation
funneeee ^_^
Bamboo such as this Tropical clumper, Schizostachyum glaucifolium, Hawaiian 'Ohe, are being divided to make more plants.
Hawaiian 'Ohe is used to make musical instruments such as flutes and chimes.
Here are divided culms & rhizomes of a Dendrocalamus, ready to be potted.
I think it is Dendrocalamus strictus. Dendrocalamus species are good for timber and their edible shoots.
Here are various Bamboo starts filling out their pots and getting ready for the field.
Do they produce any runners? How quickly do you expect them to grow into proper clumps?
This is so exciting that Ku is thinking about getting involved!
On the left is Pleioblastus pygmaeus, the World's smallest bamboo. Right, is what I think is Sasaella masamuneana 'Albostriata'.
As they are running bamboo, they will be divided and grown in pots for ornamental purposes. Planted in the ground they become invasive.
Shibatea kumasaca is another ornamental runner that will have to be kept in pots.
Besides rhizome division, bamboo can be propagated by seed.
Left is Bambusa vulgaris. Right is Dendrocalamus strictus.
It takes much longer to get large bamboo plants from seed, than by rhizome division, but is much easier to start a large amount of plants at one time.
One more way of propagating bamboo is by cutting. This is a time consuming method but works if you are careful with the plant.
On the left are culm cuttings from Dendrocalamus membranaceous. Easy as they have adventicious roots!
Top right is a Bambusa species; bottom is a running rhizome cutting from Phyllostachys aurea.
Working with bamboo is not just fun; it is entertaining for family and friends!
I really do admire the poster's in the "extreme" tropic's posting pic's with added information as well.
The only place that I have visited in the Hawaiian island's is waikiki. I really enjoyed learning some of the culture on my stay there but unfortunately did not have the time to look into much of the local flora/foliage.
I have read that Oahu is extremely beautiful?
I am enjoying your thread.
Rachel.
If there is still interest, here is Bambusa ventricosa, Buddha Belly Bamboo. It is used to make fine furniture.
The picture missed; here it is!
Hey JP, there are running bamboo (Phyllostachys, Sasa, Pleioblastus, etc.) and clumping bamboo (Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, Guadua, etc.).
The runners will not stay where they're put so are best grown in pots, or the larger ones can be grown in a contained area.
The clumpers stay where they are placed, but usually need lots of space because they get huge.
Aloha!
Interesting thread Dave, what are Kea and Ku planing on doing with the bamboo? We have a guy on Maui - Pa'ia way - who is trying to start his own business building homes with bamboo. I haven't seen any that he has built, but I bet they are beautiful.
I believe there is a bamboo forest somewhere near Hana that has a trail that you can walk through. The bamboo there is reported to be 60 feet tall! Imagine the sound of the wind blowing through - it must be lovely!
I love bamboo, specially the timber species. There are quite a few thickets of them at Morikami Gardens here in Delray Beach. The wind blowing through is indeed just lovely. Love-struck couples sculpt their initials in the bark (idiots) but still, it is an impressive sight when the trunks are 5 to 6 inches in diameter.
Only 3 nights away from my next cruise. I can't wait.
Take care, all.
Sylvain, a.k.a. as Pu'ole..
Our native bamboo (an endemic), Bambusa arnhemica, flowers and produces seed after about 80 years and then dies. The big flowering occured about 3 years ago, and the last stragglers flowered this wet season. Little kids now will be very old before they get a chance to see a flowering.
I've got a fine, climbing bamboo at home and Dendrocalamus asper that I've planted. There were about 4 or 5 other species on the property but don't know the species. One is huge but useless as a timber, very brittle when dry. But makes a lot of noise in the wind as it's very tall, about 15 metres. This is a photo with a 10-11 foot size thrown in for comparison.
GREAT thread, Dave... 'the kids' look like they are having a blast helping you!
Carol
I love it, as I always learn something new! Thanks, Dave! And your dogs are such good helpers!
Great thread! Your dogs are adorable! I too love bamboo. We have a large pole that was given to us that my DS is thinking about making me a water feature out of.
He was getting some palm fronds a couple of years ago to make our hut in the backyard, and the homeowner asked him what he was doing, so he told him, so the guy just asked DS if he wanted the bamboo, so DS said, "Sure, thanks!"
I love anything "tropical" or that is a reminder of our time spent on Oahu! (Oh, for Home Sweet Home! If it was only for 2 yrs 8 mos, 43 years ago April 1st !)
My daughter and family are there this week for Spring Break! I could not go this time.......ahhhhhhhhhh, wiping the tears back......OK that's a little dramatic maybe! HaHa! I'm trying to stay busy with the dollhouse and miniatures and be GLAD that my grandchildren could see where I used to live when I was "their age" literally. And why their NANA is so crazy to have a hut in the back "jungle" of plants with Tiki torches stuck everywhere! OK so the tears aren't "drama", they are just because I am so "homesick"! Being able to talk to y'all has been such a big help. Most of the kids I grew up with don't live there now either. Our little group are scattered literally from coast to coast of the mainland and everywhere in between!
I will get to go back and visit again......Someday! It's just that I know if I ever got there I wouldn't want to eva leave again! Living there was truly a "sacred" experience! I will cherish it forever!
Jeanne
Bamboo is not only beautiful...but useful: here it is in an experiment by the University of HI at Hilo Aguaculture students...to grow strawberries hydroponically. There IS circulating water and holes cut thru the nodal chambers.
And here is a novel use....no water circulation...growing lettuce.
Amazing! Cool! Two more ideas of things that we could do with ours! Thanks!
Dave, Have you tried any of the Blacks from cutting? Some seem easier than others and Timor Black seems not to go easily. I've started leaving them in a tray with kelp water to promote growth. Any other suggestions? thanks, Ann
Hi Ann, A good method for propagating Bambusa lako is to make air layers before you take a cutting.
This is done by wrapping up a node with branches in peat moss and covering it with plastic till roots are produced. To speed up the process, you can drill a hole in the culm section above the node being air layered and fill the culm with water.
Another accelerator is to soak the peat moss in a fulvic acid solution before you make the air layer.
Cuttings that you have in a tray can be treated with fulvic acid to speed up root production. Make sure that the hollow culms above the nodes are filled with water.
Aloha, Dave
Thanks Dave, I'll try it. It'll start getting cooler soon so it's the last month that I can pot up cuttings of beehive gingers, costus and bamboo :)
Ann
What a wonderful idea, Carol! Now I want a bamboo!
I am amazed at the wealth of info I can receive here! You guys are my most valuable reference!
Dave...where does one get fulvic acid and how do you use it for rooting...sounds like something I want to know about....:>)
Hi Carol, Fulvic acid is the most active component found in humus. To use it for rooting, you simply add a couple of tablespoons to a gallon of water and soak the cutting with it. If the plant already has roots you may add it to a nutrient mix and apply it to plants; it is proven to aid a plant in absorption of nutrients by 30%. It has shown remarkable results on everything I put it on except for palms.
In Hilo, fulvic acid is available, least expensively, at Ohana Greenhouse Hilo, 811 Laukapu Street, #5. Ph# (808) 961-3111.
There is a sale there; 15% off everything in the store, which tomorrow is the last day.
They charge about $15 per quart.
Garden Exchange also carries it, but much more expensively.
They (Ohana Greenhouse) also sell Maxicrop and most other organics with mycorrhizae, ect., less expensive than other stores. It's a little whole in the wall outlet, so be careful not to drive right by the place, it's easy to miss!
Thanks Dave...I know it well. I buy my hydroton there...should be in town tomorrow so will drop by!!! Thanks so much!