Winter is usually a bad season for most bamboo, but one bamboo is turning spectacular color with the chill. That's the amazing bamboo we want to share today - Chimonobambusa marmorea 'Red'.
Chimonobambusa marmorea, or marbled bamboo, is a small-sized bamboo reaching a maximum of 3 meters high and 1.5 cm in diameter. It was widely found growing in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces in China. It has several different cultivars but the red form is the most stunning one with no doubt.
How to care the Chimonobambusa marmorea 'Red'?
In our nursery in Kunming City Yunnan province, this bamboo starts to shoot in September-October. One month later, the new shoots will start to grow leaves. Its persistent culm sheath usually prevents it from looking good. So usually we remove the culm sheath by hand in the first year of the shoot (any time after the leaves are developed). Then expose the plants in sunlight (full day in Kunming). The young culms will turn red in around half a month.
After we reach the red color on the young culms, we will keep the plants in shade or half shade. This will help to develop and keep nice leaves. In Kunming the red culms can keep the color for around 2 years, then turn to yellowish as time goes by.
To better understand what kind of climate this bamboo likes, below I copy the average monthly temperature in Kunming. Due to the high elevation of Kunming (1400-1900 meters above sea level) , the sunlight is relatively stronger. We believe strong sunlight with cool nights helps the bamboo to turn red.
In lowlands of Fujian province, the growers concluded that Chimonobambusa marmorea turns red when the temperature reaches below 18 centigrade. The colder it is, the more bright the color turns. This kind of coldness usually occurs in the early morning with frost and ice which is melted as soon as the sun rises.
Can this bamboo grow in Tropical?
I don't think so.
In July, I brought 3 pots of Chimonobambusa marmorea 'Red' to Nanning and kept them in fully shady area. But none of the plants survived. In November I brought another 3 pots to Nanning. One is growing ok while the other two plants are seen with dried leaves. We will keep experimenting and find out what level of heat this bamboo can stand.
If you want to try this beautiful bamboo, try to place an order here.
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