Bamboo Culms

One of the most intriguing things about bamboo is it's incredible ability to adapt.  During the winter, the rhizomes spread out in an equidistant area from a central location of the plants roots.  When the night time temperatures reach a steady 45 to 50 degrees, the rhizomes begin sending up "culms," or what typically are referred to as bamboo shoots.  These occur along the straight line of the rhizome, and can exceed 20 or 30 feet in one season.  The culms typically grow about 1 - 2 inches per day when the temperatures reach the upper 60's and 70's.  Our particular grove of Black River Bamboo and Green Dragon Bamboo have been in place for about 6 years, and while it's beautiful, it's also incredibly invasive, and requires extensive care and maintenance.  A metal barrier was installed 5 years ago, and while that has kept it at bay, it still escapes and has to be cut back.  Currently the tallest shoot is at about 30 feet, which is nearly the maximum height of these types of bamboo. 

Soon the new seasonal leaves will come out, and a new forest of green will occur.