Chusquea gigantea

Hi All,

This is one of my recent additions, a Chusquea gigantea, one of the Chilean bamboo.
This is just a small offset, which I paid a fortune for. Am expecting it to get really big.
The reason I got it is twofold. One to provide some shelter for my garden in winter. It gets really tall, but as with all bamboo, takes up realtively little ground space for the height.
And also, to provide as screen from the neighbours.

Btw, the area around the base has now been planted up with some bits and pieces.

Thanks
Sirius

 

Looks a good plant Sirius, how tall does it get and is it as invasive as some of the Asian bamboos?

 

Sirius , that is more of an investment , they are slow grower and big specimen are going for £200 upward .........beautiful master peace.

 

Pete, it gets to about 10m under ideal conditions. It does spread. But not as rampant as some of the other species.

Sal, i paid £70 for this plant. Chusquea is one of the more difficult bamboo to divide. Hence the price.

 

We have had a plant in the ground for 5 or 6 years. Started out a bit bigger than your offset and it has stayed fairly tightly clumped. Height wise its maybe 3m at the tallest.

 

How is yours hardyness wise?

I have been told on some specialist Bamboo forums that it is not as hardy as culeou.
But I saw they stock plant at the nursery in March, and there was no frost damage on it at all.

 

been fine so far

 

Tropical_Gaz,
Are the culms on yours becoming quite thick?

Do you have Borinda papyrifera by any chance?
I see Jungle Giants has them, but I think they are borderline hardy.
They are quite expensve too, and I am scared to have a go with one, as I think they are relatively untested.

 

Borinda papyrifera is hardy to -15 , available from jungle giant.

 

sal,

I spoke to Mike at Jungle Giants. He says that clone really suffered in that bad winter we had. He has another collection from a higher altitude, but that one will only be available next year. So I would rather wait to get that one.