Flowering Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra), don’t buy any black Bamboo, they are going to seed

While this is rare, but black bamboo is flowering at the moment, meaning that there will be a new generation of bamboo and the old plants (the current stock) will die.

[@mk1alexander]

Mine flowered in 2022. I let the flowering happen then removed all the canes that had gone to seed. In 2023 I had a handful of new very small like 2-3' high 1/8" thick canes grow. It's still alive and healthy and I'm anxious to see what it looks like this spring if anything else comes up. None of the newer canes went to flower in 2023 after they came up or currently.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

While it is a shame when they flower (especially when you have huge plants or whole hedges) but it is also nice to see the new generation growing, and knowing that they are here for a long time.

[@RugoGaming]

Damn, I just ordered 2 plants today and just saw this.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

They could be the new generation, they have been flowering for some time.

[@SimonSverige]

by trimming the lower side branches of them you can make them look a lot more like bamboos than just a green bush.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

I know and I have done that with a number of other bamboos (I usually just nap them odd as the canes grow), but that one I left to its own devices, I haven't even thinned out any of the canes. But you are right I should get my finger out and make the plant look as good as it could. I have enough green bamboo bushes in the garden with all my fargesia. Something to add to my list of jobs 🙂

[@UrsusOceanicus]

A week ago I noticed many of the canes of my P. Nigra "Bory" had blown over in a high wind. On closer inspection I discovered they were heavy with developing seeds. This is a cultivar with splotches on the canes. I have been growing this in Nova Scotia, Canada for about 15 years, sourced from British Columbia. I wonder if all cultivars will be flowering now? I should try to remember to collect some of the seeds, but I realise if they germinate they will not produce seedlings with the mottled canes.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

Man that is a shame, and the “tiger” bamboo is a lovely one, it seems that all cultivar are flowering, strangely enough mine has not flowered so far, but as I said in the video, I am under no illusion that it will soon. You should definitely collect some seeds and see what you get at the end of the day. Same with my Cannas, when you do get seeds, from a dark purple one the “kids” might be green or variegated, and there have been times that the kid was like the mother . The things is all the seeds that drop to the floor might also germinate, so you might have a super grove in no time at all. But I would propagate some seeds and see what you get.

[@raybecca369]

Our 15 year old black bamboo grove went to seed in 2020. So damn sad I actually cried. Just this year after a shit ton of rain over the winter she’s coming back with about 30 huge culms that are health and growing tall like the mother plant. We thought she was for sure a goner but apparently Mother Nature knows better than we do. 😂. I think it was all the water that helped for sure.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

I would have cried too, and it is amazing how they recover after flowering. The same thing happened at my parents' house, feels like centuries ago, and they came back with some force ( my parents were not so happy about its return but I was 🤣🤣)

[@ericpanda]

@@jochen.allardice-grein thanks for the video. We have a small grove of black bamboo that’s contained within a root barrier. They haven’t flowered yet. We are wondering when they do flower and generate seeds, will the seeds germinate outside the root barrier area? As much as we want our black bamboos back after they flower and die, we definitely don’t want them to spread to unwanted area which will be a headache down the road for us and our neighbors. Thanks.

[@tammythompson1927]

Very interesting! Hope, by some chance, that you don't lose it. Bamboo and mind. It's earwig season here in Southwestern Ontario (CA) and some of my poor flowers just don't stand a chance. I have found a hack that so far seems to be working. I cut some small strips of tin foil and wrap them around the base of the plants. Don't think they like to crawl over it. Liking the results so far. Right up there with your garlic water. Fingers crossed.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

I lost my mind a long time ago 🙂, the issue we have here is that it has rained (and I am talking torrential) every day, it really has been a shit summer, so my hostas look like shit because the rain washes off the garlic water, so pissed off about that. About the bamboo, the black one is a goner just a matter of time. but all my other ones are growing like mad in this wet weather. but I like the hack with the tin foil need to check that one out. 👍

[@tammythompson1927]

Weather has been extreme in Canada this year as well. Forest fires have been out of control up north, Quebec, BC, Alberta. It's the first time in my life that I've seen air here filled with smoke from fires burning 1000's of kms away. There's been relentless flooding on the east coast provinces. 😮‍💨 May, June and July were like a desert here (farming were crying) and then August so far has been rain every couple days. You're right my friend....it's been a crazy summer. Thank you global warming.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

@@tammythompson1927 it really has been crazy, our son is desperate to live in Canada at some point so he has been following all the stuff that has been happening there. But also looking at southern Europe, there everything is on fire and we are drowning lite rats. just insane.

[@tammythompson1927]

I haven't travelled the world by any means but I have to say...I think Canada is a fantastic place to live. Despite what the haters out there might say. If they don't like it here they can damn well leave! I like to visit other countries but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

[@VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM]

I bought some Henon bamboo and it started to flower right after I put it in the ground. I see many stores still selling all these flowering types. Almost everyone is still selling them. It's sad they do that to the community. They are ripping people off.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

I am totally with you, they are ripping people off and it is a shoty thing to do. The reputable nurseries for instance don't currently sell black bamboo because of it flowering. But I feel your pain and frustration

[@drefhill]

i think the ones who sell them dont even know anything about bambous.

[@Blaze23557]

@@drefhillthat would be the right answer…😅

[@alwaysright6358]

Actually, I have been hearing the flowering of Nigra for a more than a decade, and no one has reported to have viable seeds. I had one of my bamboo (not Nigra) flowered and died before and there was no viable seeds either. Perhaps the bees and flies here just don't recognize bamboo flowers as sources of food, therefore no pollination.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

My bamboo has not flowered yet, but I have canes die (more than ususal) I have no idea what is going on. and luckily none of my other bamboo have flowered, but as we all know it can happen any time 🙂

[@drefhill]

Which specie ? I've bough a nigra and it's not in flowers, it's the nigra henonis which are flowering, nigra henonis are green even if they've nigra in their name.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

Good question, when I bought it, it was just labelled as black bamboo, I really should identify which one it is

[@natilty8394]

Well this blows...wish I had heard about this before I bought my black bamboo 2 months ago. It wasn't cheap!

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

It has been flowering for some time, so it could be that you have the new generation.

[@elaineperkins5271]

I've just purchased a black bamboo a couple of months ago from home base £50 and after watching your video I've learnt that mine is flowering I'm so annoyed I'm wondering if home base want to give me a refund !!!! doubt it Can you recommend a bamboo that wont flower please I'm new to gardening and thank you so much for your advice x

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

I feel for you, it is a b**ch when you spend money on a new plant and this happens. At the moment you cannot buy black bamboo from reputable nurseries. Bamboo flowers ever (round about) 120 years, and it is difficult to say which one will be the next species that will flower. I suggest to go to a reputable bamboo nursery to buy a plant. They will not sell plants that are about to or are flowering. I really cannot say which bamboo will flower next, I wish I could.

[@elaineperkins5271]

@@jochen.allardice-grein Thank you xx

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

@@elaineperkins5271 you are most welcome 🙂

[@WillLightfoot]

If cut to the ground i wonder how it behaves, do you get flowers on stumps or vegetative regrowth from the roots?

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

I don't know, worth trying, i guess however mine has not flowered yet, but I had quite a few canes die, who knows what is going on with my negra ??

[@mk1alexander]

Mine flowered in 2022. I let the flowering happen then removed all the canes. In 23 I had a handful of new very small like 2-3' high canes grow. Its still alive and well and I'm anxious to see what it looks like this spring if anything else comes up

[@markclayton225]

Can't you just cut of the flowering heads to try and save the plant or won't that work

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

Unfortunately, that will not work. We just have to wait and see when it is our turn, it is a pain.

[@drefhill]

it make flowers on all the plant so cutting the flowers mean cutting almost everything.

[@martyjewell710]

Well it's good news for me since I don't have any but want some. So it will be seeds for me and I can live the rest of my life without worrying if it's going to flower on me.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

That is the st way to look at it a fresh new generation 👍

[@patterson_homestead]

Well that sux for me i had bought one last week 😢

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

Perhaps it is one of the new generation, it has been blooming for a while, fingers crossed..

[@Woepps]

I’m here cause mine just started 😭

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

Man that sucks, but the positive aspect to take from this is that the new generation will be there for a very long time

[@patterson_homestead]

If it seeds send me some😊

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

Can be arranged once it does 🙂

[@OsirusHandle]

it seems poorly self fertile. possible that many plants in the uk are clones so no chances between plants: if any are still flowering you should meet up and exchange pollen with people.

[@aaron230185]

Do you have a pet panda?

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

@@aaron230185 Not yet 🙂

[@Arrras]

Bad days are coming for pandas

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

As well although I believe they have alternatives too 🙂, I feel for people that have a lot of black bamboo, I tell you one thing if and when this happens to pseudosasa japonica, I am screwed

[@drefhill]

Pandas dont eat that specie. They only eat a hanfull of species, no more.

[@IsaiahsBabyDaddy]

Not buying another plant of the same species actually seems counterintuitive to me. Although the bamboo plant is asexual and capable of self pollenization, I believe introducing another plant, even if it’s from the same other plant will still add to the diversity of the plant and increase the possibilities of seeds viability.

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

Could make sense, this is all about the cost of the plant, and it is such a shame when you spend a lot of money for a new bamboo and the thing flowers within a few weeks.

[@IsaiahsBabyDaddy]

@@jochen.allardice-grein it is a shame. As I’m reading up on it, it will probably have huge impact in places like Japan, where it actually stimulates the economy and potentially they’ll have hectors of land that just becomes barren for a period of time. Thanks for the awareness in the video!

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

@IsaiahsBabyDaddy thank you and you are very welcome the one "good" thing is that the flowering happens for a longer period as far as I am aware Negra has been flowering for the past 2 or 3 years. But also because it is so popular in garden design more is planned so therefore the impact is huge, cross the world. However a new generation is created and that one will be here for a very long time

[@Laurel-Crowned]

Excuse my lack of knowledge but can't you just cut the seedings off so the rizome wouldn't expend all of its energy?

[@jochen.allardice-grein]

@Laurel-Crowned I have never tried that and I don't think it works that way , if the plant flowering I would assume that the new culms would also produce seeds. My bamboo luckily hasn't flowered yet but when it will I definitely try cutting off the culms and we'll see.