Phyllostachys aurea

Phyllostachys aurea
Phyllostachys aurea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Subfamily:	Bambusoideae
Supertribe:	Bambusodae
Tribe:	Bambuseae
Subtribe:	Shibataeinae
Genus:	Phyllostachys
Species:	P. aurea
Binomial name
Phyllostachys aurea Riviere & C.Riviere Bull. Soc. Natl. Acclim. France sér. 3, 5:716, fig. 36. 1878
Subspecies
See text
Synonyms
Bambusa aurea

Phyllostachys aurea, Golden bamboo, is a bamboo species in the genus Phyllostachys native to China. It is a 'running bamboo' type.

Vernacular names include: Fishpole bamboo, Fish-pole bamboo, Golden bamboo, Fairyland bamboo (Aust.), and Monk's belly bamboo.

Cultivation

Phyllostachys aurea is cultivated as an ornamental plant for gardens. It is the most commonly cultivated bamboo in the United States, where it can grow very aggressively in the warm climates of the southeastern U.S. and California. ^[1]

Cultivars

Subspecies and cultivars include:

• Phyllostachys aurea 'Flavescens inversa' . Some lower culms may show a pale yellow stripe on the sulcus
• Phyllostachys aurea 'Holochrysa' . Also commonly called 'Golden Golden', culms turn yellow/gold sooner than the type form, random leaves have a yellow stripe
• Phyllostachys aurea 'Koi' . Culms turn yellow but sulcus stays green, random leaves have a yellow stripe
• Phyllostachys aurea 'Takemurai' . Culms grow taller and lack the compressed internodes of the type form

ID and growth habit

This bamboo can be difficult to identify as it has varied growth characteristics depending on location. In full shade the culms are apt to remain green. In partial or full sun the culms slowly turn yellow over the first year or two, then deeper gold and orange as they mature. The best way to identify this species are the compressed internodes that occur on random culms, usually (but not always) at the base. These compressed internode growths are called 'tortoise shell' ^[2]. The leaves tend to grow all the way to the ground on this species, and the type form leaves are green and lack any stripes or streaks. They can grow short, dense and shrubby in poor conditions, or tall and upright. In ideal conditions they can grow to 30 feet tall and 3 inches in diameter. They can be rampant runners and grow aggressively if left unchecked in gardens. Golden Bamboo is listed as an invasive plant species in several states ^[3].

References

External links

Media related to Phyllostachys aurea at Wikimedia Commons

Wikispecies has information related to: Phyllostachys aurea

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