The Ultimate Bamboo Plant Place?!

Aloha you all!
Thought I'd turn you on to this great place I found last year for bamboo plants. It's http://www.bamboosourcery.com/ and they're up in Sebastapol, Ca. They have about seven acres out in the middle of nowhere on this mountainside with tons of all kinds of rare bamboo growing in groves!

I took a trip out there from Sacramento last year and bought a couple of speciment giant moso bamboo plants for our new backyard, and it's doing very well - it's amazing - with giant green poles. It's still young though, it takes some years to get a lot of really big ones.

I'm taking a trip this coming weekend to buy a dozen 'Alphonse Karr' plants to create a screen in the back of my yard. They have the 1 gallon size for $20 each. I bought one of these a couple of years ago at a regular city nursery in the five gallon size and it was $150!!

I'm still learning what to grow up here in Sacramento for a tropical look. I'd originally planned to screen the back of our yard with fruit trees I planted last year, but they haven't grown an inch since then. I bought some banana trees last Spring, but I think the frost killed them, they look dead. I have some queen palms I put in last year and they're doing fine. The few bamboo plants I put in last year are doing fabulous, I think they're good down to 10 degrees.

We decided on this 'Alphonse Karr' variety because it's clumping, it grows about 15 to 20 feet tall and is nice and dense with beautiful evergreen leaves.

Anyway, check out Bamboo Sourcery if you're in the market for unusual varieties, it's a great place and fun to look at all the different species on the website!

http://www.pariarts.com

[ Edited by: pariartspaul on 2004-02-03 09:55 ]

The nursery I use is http://endangeredspecies.com/

for general bamboo info go to http://www.bamboo.org/

Next time I go up north I'll check out your place.

Bamboo is awesome! I wish I had a bigger yard so I could grow more of it.
A

Paul: They told me at Capital Nursery that banana trees grow really well, but die back every year. They will regrow during the season to about 10'. Now that was the Capital Nursery on Sunrise in Fair Oaks. So that is in the thermal belt. Dunno if you live farther into the valley where it is colder. You might want to check with Capital, as they had lots of bananas last year.

:drink:

Tacky

I just checked my email and you are in the thermal belt! Head over to Capital Nursery on Sunrise (across from the Sunrise Mall) and talk to them about the bananas and other tropicals. Then share the info with me!! They also have plumeria there in a greenhouse attached to the area where they sell books, gloves, etc. Canas also are good-there is a Tropicana one that is fantastic. For a pond-taro does well. Cycads do well. Brugmansia should do well in a protected area-the white one is the most hardy.*

Barbara

[ Edited by: Tacky Tiki on 2004-02-03 14:51 ]

Thanks for the link. I've bought 2 bamboo plants before and my dogs turned both into fun (expensive) sticks to play with. They also tear apart my birds of paradise, and others. Haven't touched the cycads-ouch! This time I'll try a larger bamboo plant (maybe 5 gal) and surround it with wire. Wish me luck!

Thanks for the info all. The local nurseries here in Georgia don't have a great selection ( if any ) of bamboo.

Thanks for the info Tacky Tiki! Glad I didn't tear the banana trees out - but they look so bad - I did trim off the dead leaves on a couple a while back. I hope they survive. Can't wait 'till Spring.

Yes, I know Capital Nursery, that's where I bought my $150 Alphonse Carr bamboo. It's done really well this year. I'll have to check out the plumeria. We had tons of it growing in the yard when we were in Toluca Lake and it grew outside all year there. Here we'd have to bring it inside in the winter but that's okay. Thanks again.

Paul, ya gotta wrap the crown of that banana b4 frost. If water freezes inside at that spot....it's gone. Also even if it looks li' chit, you should let the leaves stay till frost is gone. Those dead leaves help protect from further damage.

I just thought of a good vine, bush for the Sacramento area-Plumbago capensis. It takes little water once established and can be used against a hot wall. Gonna try this one. Has sky blue or white flowers.

:drink:

Tacky

Plumbago is one of only a very few ornamentals that flower blue....but it's invasive, sends up shootz where you might not want it. In that case just plant it in the ground in the container or get the shovel to chop it back when it sends shootz.
Another nice blue one is Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Both get frostbite but Plumbago is hardier while YTT needs more protection.