Phyllostachys aureosulcata
Encyclopedia
Phyllostachys aureosulcata is a very
hardy
running bamboo
with a
distinctive yellow stripe in the culm
groove (or sulcus
) that is often
grown as an ornamental
.
a culm diameter
of 4 cm (1.6 inches).
In areas where the average winter
minimum temperature falls above
-15°C (5°F),
it may grow to a maximum height of 14 meters (46 feet) with
a diameter of 6.5 cm (2.6 inches)
The typical form of this species
has dark green culms with a yellow groove.
Culm sheath colors appear purple-green usually striped with yellow.
Lower portions of the upright culms occasionally bend in a zigzag
pattern.
s of this species exist in a variety of culm color
patterns. 'Spectabilis' reverses the colors of the typical form with yellow
culms and a green sulcus.
'Aureocaulis' and 'Lama Temple' have all yellow culms, with 'Lama Temple'
having culms of a brighter color that taper more rapidly to a shorter
overall height.
'Harbin' has green culms with multiple vertical ridges and irregular streaks
of yellow.
Culms of 'Harbin Inversa' appear yellow with many thin green streaks, while lacking the ridges characteristic of 'Harbin.'
A sport of 'Spectabilis' called 'Argus' shares the same robust growth qualities
and color as 'Spectabilis' but with additional green vertical stripes
scattered around the whole circumference
of each culm.
The all green form 'Alata' lacks any yellow culm coloring.
In spring
, yellow portions of new aureosulcata
culms that receive direct sunlight
during the early cool hours of the day
can develop a red tint or magenta blush that lasts for a couple months.
and tolerates winter low temperatures better than most bamboos, being
one of the hardiest bamboos in the genus
Phyllostachys
.
Outside its natural range in an area of humid continental climate
with
winter low temperatures down to -30°F (-34°C), growth above ground will
die back every winter and regrow in the spring to 1.8 to 2.4 meters
(6 to 8 feet) tall.
In China, it is cultivated and found in Beijing
and the provinces Henan
, Jiangsu
, and Zhejiang
.
and botanical name
of aureosulcata.
The all green cultivar 'Alata' is also known as "Crookstem Bamboo" due to its
characteristic culm bends common to this species.
edible shoot
production, being free of acrid flavor even when raw.
An aggressive spreader, its dense upright growth makes a good hedge
or
privacy screen.
hardy
Hardiness (plants)
Hardiness of plants describe their ability to survive adverse growing conditions. It is usually limited to discussions of climatic adversity. Thus a plant's ability to tolerate cold, heat, drought, flooding, or wind are typically considered measurements of hardiness. Hardiness of plants is defined...
running bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
with a
distinctive yellow stripe in the culm
groove (or sulcus
Sulcus (anatomy)
A sulcus is a depression or fissure in the surface of an organ, especially the brain.-Elsewhere:* anterior interventricular sulcus* calcaneal sulcus* coronal sulcus* gingival sulcus* gluteal sulcus* interlabial sulci...
) that is often
grown as an ornamental
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
.
Description
This bamboo grows to an expected height of 9 meters (30 feet) witha culm diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
of 4 cm (1.6 inches).
In areas where the average winter
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
minimum temperature falls above
-15°C (5°F),
it may grow to a maximum height of 14 meters (46 feet) with
a diameter of 6.5 cm (2.6 inches)
The typical form of this species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
has dark green culms with a yellow groove.
Culm sheath colors appear purple-green usually striped with yellow.
Lower portions of the upright culms occasionally bend in a zigzag
Zigzag
A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular....
pattern.
Cultivars
Several cultivarCultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s of this species exist in a variety of culm color
patterns. 'Spectabilis' reverses the colors of the typical form with yellow
culms and a green sulcus.
'Aureocaulis' and 'Lama Temple' have all yellow culms, with 'Lama Temple'
having culms of a brighter color that taper more rapidly to a shorter
overall height.
'Harbin' has green culms with multiple vertical ridges and irregular streaks
of yellow.
Culms of 'Harbin Inversa' appear yellow with many thin green streaks, while lacking the ridges characteristic of 'Harbin.'
A sport of 'Spectabilis' called 'Argus' shares the same robust growth qualities
and color as 'Spectabilis' but with additional green vertical stripes
scattered around the whole circumference
Circumference
The circumference is the distance around a closed curve. Circumference is a special perimeter.-Circumference of a circle:The circumference of a circle is the length around it....
of each culm.
The all green form 'Alata' lacks any yellow culm coloring.
In spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
, yellow portions of new aureosulcata
culms that receive direct sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight, in the broad sense, is the total frequency spectrum of electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. On Earth, sunlight is filtered through the Earth's atmosphere, and solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon.When the direct solar radiation is not blocked...
during the early cool hours of the day
can develop a red tint or magenta blush that lasts for a couple months.
Distribution
This bamboo grows in areas ranging from subtropical to temperateTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
and tolerates winter low temperatures better than most bamboos, being
one of the hardiest bamboos in the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Phyllostachys
Phyllostachys
Phyllostachys is a genus of bamboo. The species are native to Asia with a large number of species found in Central China, but can now be found in many temperate and semi-tropical areas around the world as cultivated plants or escapes from cultivation...
.
Outside its natural range in an area of humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
with
winter low temperatures down to -30°F (-34°C), growth above ground will
die back every winter and regrow in the spring to 1.8 to 2.4 meters
(6 to 8 feet) tall.
In China, it is cultivated and found in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and the provinces Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, and Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
.
Name
The culm coloration inspires this bamboo's common name of "Yellow Groove Bamboo"and botanical name
Botanical name
A botanical name is a formal scientific name conforming to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and, if it concerns a plant cultigen, the additional cultivar and/or Group epithets must conform to the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants...
of aureosulcata.
The all green cultivar 'Alata' is also known as "Crookstem Bamboo" due to its
characteristic culm bends common to this species.
Usage
Cultivated mainly as an ornamental, this species is also among the best foredible shoot
Bamboo shoot
Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible shoots of many bamboo species including Bambusa vulgaris and Phyllostachys edulis. They are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths...
production, being free of acrid flavor even when raw.
An aggressive spreader, its dense upright growth makes a good hedge
Hedge
Hedge may refer to:* Hedge or hedgerow, line of closely spaced shrubs planted to act as a barrier* Hedge , investment made to limit loss* Hedge , intentionally non-committal or ambiguous sentence fragments-See also:...
or
privacy screen.