[KCFoggin]

I have this bamboo growing all around the ravine in my backyard and I can't seem to get a definitive I.D. Any takers? I do know that all bamboo is considered invasive in my state and is on the watch list here. Not sure I want to eliminate it though.

Right now they are all standing about 3 feet tall with a few over 5 feet but a lot of the bottom leaves seem to be drying off.

[wroughtiron]

Originally Posted by KCFoggin

I have this bamboo growing all around the ravine in my backyard and I can't seem to get a definitive I.D. Any takers? I do know that all bamboo is considered invasive in my state and is on the watch list here. Not sure I want to eliminate it though.

Right now they are all standing about 3 feet tall with a few over 5 feet but a lot of the bottom leaves seem to be drying off.

Well, I can tell you how I responded to the same thing (I have it growing wild on my property as well). I started coming up with uses for it. I now have a nice natural walking stick. I use it to check bird house that are high up off the ground (I just tap the houses with the long bamboo stick). Also, I am looking into making some bamboo fences just for cosmetic purposes ofcourse. I have a wrought iron fence for actual security purposes (hence the screen name wrought iron).

[Nina P]

K.C. I can say although that looks like the agressively spreading one there are so many uses for it that if kept cut for regular use it struggles to be so invasive. makes good canes for supporting:- Runner beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, Peas, Broaad Beans, and trellis for clematis, screens, also in concrete as a non slip topping, or perhaps you should take some to the zoo for the Giant Pandas.
Oddly enough bamboo that is invasive is known for suddenly dieing off after about twenty odd years too. Personally I would make as much use of it as possible, and hope that this didn't get into the neighbours garden!

[KCFoggin]

Originally Posted by Nina P

K.C. I can say although that looks like the agressively spreading one there are so many uses for it that if kept cut for regular use it struggles to be so invasive. makes good canes for supporting:- Runner beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, Peas, Broaad Beans, and trellis for clematis, screens, also in concrete as a non slip topping, or perhaps you should take some to the zoo for the Giant Pandas.
Oddly enough bamboo that is invasive is known for suddenly dieing off after about twenty odd years too. Personally I would make as much use of it as possible, and hope that this didn't get into the neighbours garden!

.3

Nina, thanks so much for the response. As I had mentioned, I wasn't quite sure I wanted to do away with it as it is growing manly along the ravine and it does seem that I should be able to keep a handle on it for now. Presently, there are a lot of dead shoots still standing which the birds seem to use for perching so I have left them on their own. I don't know whether they died off naturally or if some kind of herbicide was used before I bought the place.

[Nina P]

Originally Posted by KCFoggin

.3

Nina, thanks so much for the response. As I had mentioned, I wasn't quite sure I wanted to do away with it as it is growing manly along the ravine and it does seem that I should be able to keep a handle on it for now. Presently, there are a lot of dead shoots still standing which the birds seem to use for perching so I have left them on their own. I don't know whether they died off naturally or if some kind of herbicide was used before I bought the place.

It may be going into winter mode, so don't worry too much, mine often does this in drought, or cold winds, but to a large extent, the leaves do brown off and some or all will drop but as the winter is advancing it may well be it's fall time, they are inclined to be deciduous in upper latitudes, I believe they only keep their foliage in the equatorial regions.

[wroughtiron]

Originally Posted by KCFoggin

I have this bamboo growing all around the ravine in my backyard and I can't seem to get a definitive I.D. Any takers? I do know that all bamboo is considered invasive in my state and is on the watch list here. Not sure I want to eliminate it though.

Right now they are all standing about 3 feet tall with a few over 5 feet but a lot of the bottom leaves seem to be drying off.

I have also seen baskets made from bamboo which are great for hanging bird nest materials in. Kinda like building a large suet cage made of bamboo.