Bamboo shoots
>> Wednesday, May 7, 2014 –
bamboo shoots
The bamboo seems to be putting most of its energy into replacing the leaves that were killed by this past harsh winter, so there are fewer shoots this year.
Still though, the ones that are emerging are as beautiful and as captivating as always! That's Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima' above, and it was top killed. Its smallish shoots are some of the most beautiful though! Let's take a look at the rest...
The various Phyllostachys aureosulcata forms have shoots that all look similar, and although they're "common" in my yard (and for bamboo growers around St. Louis) they're still beautiful, whether you're looking at the tips of the shoots or the freshly-emerging culms at the base:
I didn't get photos of every shoot this year -- I rarely do -- as sometimes they grow too quickly and I miss them when they make the best photos, or the lighting isn't flattering, or the weather doesn't cooperate. Not every shoot is worth imaging either, as some are too small or just uninteresting.
Still, there's always so much to see with the bamboo at this time of year!
Want to see more bamboo shoots from previous years? Click here.
.
Great shots. Always a sense of relief when the new shoots appear. Never more so than this year. My golden and black bamboos were mostly top killed. The battle now is keeping the squirrels from eating the shoots. A pepper spray and an alternative food source seem to be helping. But by far a victory on my part. They still destroy some.
A big fan of bamboos here. Although our collection is no longer as big as it used to be, I'm still captivated by their beauty. Thanks for highlighting them once again, and great shots btw! It's not always easy to capture their images and you're clearly skilled at it.
John: quite a bit of nibbling going on here for me too, but I've never seen a squirrel doing it -- rabbits and deer for me I think.
Mark and Gaz: Thanks! Always glad to hear from other bamboo lovers. :)