A BAMBOO FAVORITE

Almost all the new bamboo growth in my groves has ended for this Springs growing season.  Some species start sending up new shoots as early as March, with most all new growth having concluded with the arrival of the HOT weather.  That would be now, as despite what the calender says, we are having temperatures close to 100 degrees each day.

 One of my favorite bamboo's is called Phyllostachys 'Robert Young'. [Sorry. That's the name it is called. There is no "common" name.  Call it just "Robert Young" if you like.]

I don't know who Robert Young is/was, or what he did to get a bamboo named after him.  Probably a scientist who discovered this particular species.

Any way ... this is a large bamboo, which matures to a yellow color, with stripes of green appearing in some of the growing segments.  I have some culms -- which is what the "cains" are called -- of my "Bobby's" that are approaching 50 feet tall.

 One of the reason I like this bamboo so well is the color of the new culms which sprout from the ground each year.  Rather than the yellow color of the final growth, the emerging culms are a fine, lime green, with darker green colored stripes. Through the Summer, both colors will darken further, with the stripes remaining green & the main part of the bamboo turning yellow.

As much as I enjoy the new Spring colors this plant provides, the final yellow color of this bamboo makes a nice contrast all year long to the colors of other trees & plants on my property.

Robert Young -- wherever you are -- your namesake is a favorite of mine.