The Hἲppy B֎֎mboom Threat - Page 4

xilman · 2009-05-06, 16:33

We had an unusually severe winter in these parts and some of the more tender bamboos suffered. The blue bamboo (aka Himalayacalamus hookerianus) not only lost all its leaves but all the branches died and all of the culms suffered badly. However, some remained green along at least some of their length and so I didn't give up hope.

Sure enough, a green shoot of recovery has made its appearance and is now about 15cm high.

If this year's winter looks like being particularly cold, I'll have to see how best to protect this plant.

Strangely enough, all the tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica mostly) came through with only very minor damage and are now sprouting again.

Paul

Xyzzy · 2009-07-14, 20:56

Primeinator · 2009-07-18, 02:23

Quote:

To be honest, biological classification of bamboos is a complete mess. There are good reasons why it is a mess, but nonetheless it is a mess.

The whole classification of plants and animals in general is a mess... scientists cannot agree on the number of kingdoms, phylums, classes, etc.

xilman · 2009-07-19, 20:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Primeinator

The whole classification of plants and animals in general is a mess... scientists cannot agree on the number of kingdoms, phylums, classes, etc.

Sure. However, some of the classification is in better shape than others. At least, there is more widespread agreement in some places than other.

However, the classification of bamboos is particularly messy. Far from being the worst, but messier than many,

Paul

xilman · 2009-07-19, 20:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

Beautiful. I wonder if they ship to the UK and, if they do, at reasonable cost.

Paul

davar55 · 2009-08-28, 19:06

Since the title of this thread was obviously changed (by our favorite gremlins?) from bamboos to bimbos, looking here by me was obviously
barking up the wrong tree. Oh well, still hoping some pretty females
are interested in numb3rs.

xilman · 2010-04-10, 19:25

Two of us spent about 4 hours today moving a Thamnocalamus crassinodus 'Kew Beauty' plant that had outgrown its original spot.

When we bought it about 5 years ago it was 30cm across at the base with half a dozen culms. By this morning it was about 150cm in diameter with a hundred or so culms. It's now in three large pieces and three small ones. The largest, about half the original plant, has been moved about 2/3 the length of the garden. The remainder have been / will be given away.

Digging this thing up and dividing it was not entirely trivial. Tools used included spades, axes, a mattock, loppers, pruning saw and doubtless others I can't remember. The plant was far too heavy when in one lump for two moderately strong men to drag, let alone lift.

I am already feeling some of the consequences of the exercise. The after effects will almost certainly be worse in the morning.

Oh well, all part of the varied life of a bamboo grower I suppose.

Paul

cheesehead · 2010-04-10, 23:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by xilman

A large part of the reason why it's in a mess is that many bamboo species flower only very infrequently, if at all. Because of the economic importance of bamboo,many species and, indeed, individual plants have been observed for centuries. Some of them have never been seen to flower. An important part of the definition of a species is that individuals can interbreed to produce fertile offspring. If the individuals go for centuries or more before breeding ...

... but there's maybe a good reason for that ...

Speaking of evolution, have any of you seen the PBS "NOVA" show about the 48-year bamboo-flowering-and-rat-plague cycle in southeast Asia? (I just saw a rerun.) Every time the Melocanna baccifera flowers, there follows an explosion in the rat population.

Or perhaps you've all known about this, already.

http://www.assamtimes.org/editorial/1350.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Assam Times

“When bamboo flowers, famine, death and destruction follows”, says a tribal legend in Mizoram. ... Back in 1959, bamboo flowering in the state set off a chain of events in the rugged hilly state that ultimately led to one of the most powerful insurgencies against the Indian union spanning over two decades.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/beta/ev...-predator.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOVA

Once every 48 years, all hell breaks loose for the farmers living in the State of Mizoram in northeast India. As for farmers in other parts of the region and in different years, a plague of black rats appearing seemingly out of nowhere sweeps through their fields, gorging on their crops. The cause? A species of bamboo called Melocanna baccifera. After millions of years of predation on its seeds, this species evolved a neat defensive trick: flower and fruit only every half-century and at exactly the same time as your neighboring Melocanna bamboo, and produce one mother of a seed (for a bamboo). In this interview, noted ecologist Daniel Janzen of the University of Pennsylvania describes how this plant's strategy came about and what's in it—both good and bad—for the bamboo, the rats and other predators, and anyone living nearby.

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/f...2/famine200712

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vanity Fair

... The rats go on to eat everything. They wipe out the villagers’ crops and grain bins, and Mizoram is gripped by famine. The last time this happened, in 1959, thousands of Mizos (as the region’s inhabitants are called) starved to death, and the Indian government’s failure to respond with adequate food aid sparked a guerrilla war that lasted 20 years.

davar55 · 2010-12-08, 19:48

In reference to the OP (as usual),
are bamboos and bimbos apples and oranges?

Just checking.

xilman · 2010-12-08, 21:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by davar55

In reference to the OP (as usual),
are bamboos and bimbos apples and oranges?

Just checking.

Nope. They are Fargesiae, Phyllostaches, Himalayacalami, Semiarundinariae, etc and Homines sapientes, not Mali domesticae and Citri x sinensium.

Most are still doing just fine, despite temperatures never rising above 0C for the best part of a week. I expect the Himalayacalamus {hookerianus,falconeri} to lose their leaves when the weather warms up but everything else should come through unscathed.

Paul

davar55 · 2011-01-21, 23:53

Botanical Erudition Teaches Common Heritage.

Evolution rocks !

2009-05-06, 16:33	#34
xilman Bamboozled! "𒉺𒌌𒇷𒆷𒀭" May 2003 Down not across 2C75₁₆ Posts	Green shoot of recovery We had an unusually severe winter in these parts and some of the more tender bamboos suffered. The blue bamboo (aka Himalayacalamus hookerianus) not only lost all its leaves but all the branches died and all of the culms suffered badly. However, some remained green along at least some of their length and so I didn't give up hope. Sure enough, a green shoot of recovery has made its appearance and is now about 15cm high. If this year's winter looks like being particularly cold, I'll have to see how best to protect this plant. Strangely enough, all the tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica mostly) came through with only very minor damage and are now sprouting again. Paul Last fiddled with by xilman on 2009-05-06 at 16:34 Reason: Fix tag

2010-04-10, 19:25	#40
xilman Bamboozled! "𒉺𒌌𒇷𒆷𒀭" May 2003 Down not across 19×599 Posts	I ache, therefore I am. Two of us spent about 4 hours today moving a Thamnocalamus crassinodus 'Kew Beauty' plant that had outgrown its original spot. When we bought it about 5 years ago it was 30cm across at the base with half a dozen culms. By this morning it was about 150cm in diameter with a hundred or so culms. It's now in three large pieces and three small ones. The largest, about half the original plant, has been moved about 2/3 the length of the garden. The remainder have been / will be given away. Digging this thing up and dividing it was not entirely trivial. Tools used included spades, axes, a mattock, loppers, pruning saw and doubtless others I can't remember. The plant was far too heavy when in one lump for two moderately strong men to drag, let alone lift. I am already feeling some of the consequences of the exercise. The after effects will almost certainly be worse in the morning. Oh well, all part of the varied life of a bamboo grower I suppose. Paul

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2009-08-28, 19:06	#39
davar55 May 2004 New York City 5·7·11² Posts	Since the title of this thread was obviously changed (by our favorite gremlins?) from bamboos to bimbos, looking here by me was obviously barking up the wrong tree. Oh well, still hoping some pretty females are interested in numb3rs.

2010-12-08, 19:48	#42
davar55 May 2004 New York City 5×7×11² Posts	In reference to the OP (as usual), are bamboos and bimbos apples and oranges? Just checking.

2011-01-21, 23:53	#44
davar55 May 2004 New York City 5×7×11² Posts	Botanical Erudition Teaches Common Heritage. Evolution rocks !