Bamboo

Cereal family. The birthplace of bamboo is tropical and subtropical countries - Australia, Asia, America.

The most real bamboo is Rod Bamboo Bambusa, has about 130 species. Species Bamboo common Bambusa vulgaris - in nature these are very large - up to 20-30 m in height, evergreens with a powerful rhizome, with geniculate yellow stems, and spreading leaves. There are also varieties with variegated leaves. This bamboo is used for decorative purposes, but due to its tall height only in gardening, in China and the USA.

But besides this, there are other plants that have different botanical names, but are referred to as one word "bamboo." To understand this, you need to look at the systematics in more detail. So, in the Cereal family Poaceae there is a subfamily of Bamboo Bambusoideae, it, in turn, consists of two tribes: Oler Olyreae (we are not interested in it) and Bamboo Bambuseae - it is its representatives that decorate the gardens and windowsills.

The Bamboo tribe Bambuseae includes about 9 subtribes, of which the aforementioned Bamboo genus Bambusa is of interest, as well as:

The genus Pleioblastus Pleioblastus is the birthplace of China and Japan, has about 20 species. Among them are many dwarf bamboos, which in Russia can be found on sale as houseplants. These are dwarf bamboo Pleioblastus pygmaeus (bush about 45 cm high), golden bamboo Pleioblastus auricomus (bush up to 70 cm high), etc. Very powerful rhizome, bushes spreading and lush. Leaves are lanceolate, 8-15 cm long on average. True, the taxonomy of this genus is somewhat controversial - some scientists attribute bamboo of this genus not to independent Pleioblastus, but to the Arundinaria genus Arundinaria.

The Arundinaria genus Arundinaria is reeds, in simple terms, not exactly bamboo, but extremely similar to ordinary bamboo plants. Among them, there are practically no tall tree-like ones, with the exception of Arundinaria giant Arundinaria gigantea, reaching 6 m in height, all the rest are low bushes and grasses, and they are very low decongestant, rather like weeds, the only species worthy of attention is Arundinaria variegata - green leaves with wide white stripes. In Europe and the USA they are not used in landscape design, but we sell representatives of a different kind of Fargesia under this name. And the confusion again arose because the genera Arundinaria and Fargesia are both included in the subtribe Arundinaria, but when designating a sold plant, it is customary to indicate the name of the genus and species, but not the tribes and subtribes. Therefore, if you bought a plant that says Arundinaria, it is most likely Fargesia.

Fargesia Fargesia is a genus of reeds, has about 40 species, very ornamental herbs and shrubs, are popular in gardening in warm climates, and are also grown as potted plants. In nature, these are quite tall shrubs, some up to 4-6 m in height, but they are very well formed and it is possible to maintain a compact shape. Popular Fargesia murielae Fargesia Murieli - with zigzag yellowish stems, lanceolate leaves, pointed at the end. Also quite decorative Fargesia shiny Fargesia nitida.

All representatives of the Bamboo tribe Bambuseae, which include all the aforementioned genera, need similar conditions of detention.

Bamboo - home care

Real bamboo is a rather rare houseplant, at home they can reach 1.5 m in height, but are well formed by pruning, often grown as bonsai.

Temperature: preferably moderate, in heat above 26 ° C, the tips of the leaves can dry. In winter, bamboo is more suitable for greenhouse content - a light cool place, at a temperature of about 12-13 ° C. Although in nature these plants withstand subzero temperatures planted in pots, they should not be in subzero temperatures in winter. On the balcony (glazed or insulated) you can keep it almost until the end of October, and take it out in spring in April, when the temperature is above zero. Watering is extremely rare.

Lighting: bright sunny place, with some sun in the morning or evening. It is desirable that bamboo gets 4-5 hours of sunlight per day. On the south side, the leaves burn out and dry, no, they will not die in the sun, but they will look less decorative. On the northern side of the bamboos, the bushes are dark, the leaves are rare. In summer, it is better to take the plants out into the open air, in a place protected from the wind. From August to the end of January, shading is not required on the sunny side. By the way, keep in mind that bamboo is characterized by exposure of the lower part of the stems - this is not a lack of light, but the specificity of the plant.

Watering: plentiful in summer, after drying the top layer of the earth. Do not allow severe re-drying of the earthen coma. But waterlogging should also be avoided, the soil should not be too damp, but have time to dry out to the next watering at the top of the pot. In winter, watering is moderate, depending on the temperature, if below 16 ° C, then after complete drying of the soil in the pot, if less than 10 ° C, watering is very rare, about once a month.

• Top dressing: during the growth period from April to August, bamboo is fed every two weeks with special complex fertilizers for indoor plants. You can use "Rainbow," "Ideal," "Ispolin," etc.

Humidity: Bamboo likes to regularly spray leaves with warm water. In the heating season, the only salvation is an air humidifier.

Transplantation: young plants older than 3-4 years after 2-3 years are transplanted annually in spring. The soil should be nutritious - 2 part of the turf, 1 part of the leaf, 1 part of the humus, 2 part of the small pebbles or vermiculite. The root system is quite powerful, in nature it is invasive, spreads widely and displaces, suppresses other plants. Therefore, the pot should be spacious, large specimens are planted in tubs. It is imperative to put drainage on the bottom of the pot.

Reproduction: Bamboo is propagated by dividing the bush when transplanted. Just dust off the roots from the old ground, with a sharp knife cut off part of the root coma with several stems from the edge of the bush. Sprinkle juicy cuts with crushed charcoal. Put a little more root coma in the pot. The first week watering is neat. Do not transplant and divide, in the hot season in summer.

If you want to bring home a small bamboo plant while traveling somewhere in China, then this can be done by separating the root offspring - at the base of the bush, along with a small piece of rhizome.

Tree of happiness

A tree of happiness, Chinese bamboo or bamboo of happiness - with this name in stores a plant is sold in the form of several tied tubes, with rosettes of green leaves. In fact, this plant has nothing to do with real bamboo, it is one of the varieties of dracena Dracaena fragrans.

In China and other Asian countries, this plant is considered a symbol of happiness and well-being in the home and family. "Chinese bamboo" is not usually sold in pots of earth, but in planters or vases of water. Caring for this plant (dracena) is very simple - to change water, adding mineral fertilizers to it periodically and wipe leaves from dust. It can be planted in a pot of soil and grown as a regular houseplant.