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Bambusa
oldhamii |
Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world (some species grow faster than others). The same plant will grow at a different rate and size in different conditions. Poor conditions result in smaller slower growth, but generally the bamboo still looks good. Feeding such bamboos will accelerate growth and size, if required. The species sizes quoted are maximums under ideal conditions, not always achieved when growing a tropical bamboo in a subtropical or temperate area. As an example, Bambusa arundinacea, also known as Giant Thorny Bamboo and Bambusa bambos, can achieve 30 metres high and more than 20cm diameter with a normally very vigorous growth from planting; however our now magnificent Giant Thorny planted in 1987 in a dry spot is still a modest 20 metres high and has only 15 culms, partly due to a 6 year drought. Each year it has produced larger diameter culms, the current maximum being the 5 culms up to 11cm diameter it produced in 1996. Compare that with our first Bambusa oldhamii, planted in 1985, which reached full height and culm diameter within four years, and we have been harvesting the edible shoots and structural culms for 6 years. Both of these bamboos are very erect in form, taking up about a 2 metre diameter ground space after 10 years. The Bambusa oldhamii first year growth rate expectation (after its second summer shoot season) of 3 to 5m is typical for most vigorous nurtured clumping bamboos given reasonable conditions; hence you can look forward to enjoying a controllable mature form of your chosen plant much more quickly than with other plants, or a hedge to hide the new building project next door within two years! And shoots to eat to boot! The largest most vigorous species produce new culms increasing up to one metre/day in height!
Because of the rhizome system, clumping (sympodial) bamboos grow twice as fast as running (monopodial)bamboos when they are young, reaching maturity within about 4 to 5 years instead of the runners 8 to 10 years!