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Bamboo Updates from Winter 2021 / 2022

Posted on May 17, 2022

This was a difficult winter for some plants. We saw severe wind burn on most of the bamboo. Top kill on others.

Holly and pine were also wind burned. Other plants such as some yews and a witch hazel were completely killed.

Some trees like our Korean Maples and Japanese Zelkova experienced twig damage.

The drying winds coupled with little available moisture, thanks to low precipitation and persistantly frozen soil, brought on desiccation in many types of plants.

What has surprised me is that some of the bamboo species are now re-leafing on old growth. I had counted them all as top-killed. I’m just now finding this is not the case.

The usually cold hardy Phyllostcahys nuda did experience top-kill and is now shooting.

Phyllostachys nuda surprisingly seemingly top-killed at this point following winter 2021 / 2022. I say surprisingly because P. bissetii is producing new foliage on old growth. P. nuda and P. bissetii are typically both near the same cold hardiness rating.

The always resilient Arundinaria gigantea ‘Macon’ of course took winter in stride. It’s producing new buds all the way to the tip on its old growth.

Arundinaria gigantea ‘Macon’ showing new foliage on old growth following winter 2021 / 2022

The surprising thing is that although P. nuda top-killed, P. bissetii is one of the species now producing new leaves on old growth after having been completely defoliated following winter foliar desiccation.

Phyllostachys bissetii showing new foliage on old growth following winter 2021 / 2022
Close up of Phyllostachys bissetii showing new foliage on old growth following winter 2021 / 2022

Other species such as P. rubromarginata and also most of the P. aureosulcata clones do appear to be top-killed.

The exception to the aureosulcata clones is ‘Harbin-Inversa’, which is in the group producing new buds on old growth.

Phyllostachys aureosulcata ‘Harbin-Inversa’ showing new foliage on old growth following winter 2021 / 2022

Two species I had counted as dead above ground are P. parvifolia and P. atrovaginata. Surprise! Both are re-budding on old growth!

Phyllostachys atrovaginata showing new foliage on old growth following winter 2021 / 2022
Phyllostachys parvifolia showing new foliage on old growth following winter 2021 / 2022

You never know what will turn up following winter.

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