photo copyright: Noah Bell, 2006
Phyllostachys aurea 'Dr. Don' in a five gallon pot,
note: the green cane on the left is about 15 months old while the
blue cane on the right is 3 months old.
photo copyright: Noah Bell, 2012
Almost Robin Egg Blue, but not quite.
Having fun with photo shop. Robin Nest found in P. nigra Bory.
Photo copyright: Noah Bell, 2008
An excerpt from Ned Jaquith's article about
flowering bamboo :
"We also have grown seedlings of the
Phyllostachys aurea 'Albovariegata', and a few of them showed a little
variegation at first. But
it has disappeared. We have marked these plants to watch closely to see if
the variegation reappears. We have also noticed a very interesting growth
pattern which we are also watching with interest. Some of the seedlings
are very compact with the leaf sheathes overlapping one another quite
closely while others growing in the same conditions are long and lanky. We
wonder if perhaps those that are very compact may be the ones to even more
strongly show the tortoise-shell, or Buddha belly form that has
inspired the Japanese name Hotei chiku (fairy land bamboo). Or
perhaps, the taller ones may grow to be like the variety 'Takemurai',
without the congested internodes of the type species. Whatever the
results it is exciting to speculate on the promise of the new seedlings"
Phyllostachys aurea 'Dr. Don'
Maximum height:
20 feet (?)
Hardiness: 10°
F
USDA zone 8 through 10
This new cultivar of P. aurea was established from seed we
collected at our nursery when P. aurea 'Albovariegata' went into
flower in the late 1990's. It has unusually blue new shoots which retain
their pastel color for about 9 months out of the year from spring until late
fall. During the winter they usually fade to green but are soon
followed by new shoots next spring. So far they do not seem to be quite as
hardy as the species. Regular Phyllostachys aurea also has bluish new
shoots but not a bright as those of P. aurea 'Dr. Don'.
Named in honor of the late bamboo collector and good
friend, Dr. Don Emenhiser of Corvallis, OR.
photo copyright: Ned Jaquith, 2007