Oggie the
bamboo dog in
a stand of
moso,
Portland, OR
2002
Photo copyright: Ned Jaquith, 2003 |
Phyllostachys edulis
Common Name:
Moso
Also called:
Phyllostachys heterocycla pubescens
Maximum Height: 80
feet, Typical Height: 40 to 50 feet
Diameter: 4 to 7 inches
Hardiness: 0°
F
USDA Zone recommended 7
through 10
This is the largest of the hardy bamboos and
one of the most beautiful. The very large culms are festooned with masses
of the smallest leaves
in the
Phyllostachys
genus, making this large bamboo look even larger. The culms of a mature plant
are very broad at the base and quite tapered. A culm 6 inches in
diameter at breast height may be 8 or more inches in diameter at the base. New
culms are covered with a soft velvety pubescence. Our common name Moso, is the
Japanese name which is a corruption of the Chinese name Mao Zhu. Mao for hairy
and Zhu which means bamboo. There is no mistaking this
bamboo for any other. A mature Moso grove is a spectacular site. From a distance
the groves have a light feathery look. When a grove is properly maintained, one can
stroll among the large culms as if they were in a mature conifer forest. In a
mature grove the foliage begins 30 to 40 feet above the base.
Phyllostachys bambusoides
is the bamboo of
choice for basket
weaving in Japan
because of its
flexibility. Moso, on the other
hand, is unsuitable
for fine basketry
because it is so
stiff. It is used for many
utilitarian things
such as utensils,
tubing, construction
reinforcements, etc. In the West it
may be used for ornamental construction. Moso shoots are the
most commonly eaten
shoots and consist
of the majority of
the bamboo shoot
export from China. It shoots early, and shoots can
even be dug in the winter, when no others are available.
Moso does not mature
quickly in cooler climates, and it is finally attaining some
size in our yard
(see the picture
with Oggie). We are transplanting large plants to our rural site 25 miles west
of Portland in hopes of having a real bamboo forest. Our largest plants are now
about 40 ft tall and over 3
inches in diameter at breast height. A couple are 4 inches thick at the base. We are also growing several distinctive
clones with different color variations, of which we have a few starts. Moso shoots usually begin to appear
in early March in Portland, OR.
Small plants of Moso (the size we ship) usually have
large juvenile leaves, quite unlike the very small leaves of the larger, more
established plants.
Moso opposite the office at Bamboo Garden
Photo copyright: Dain Sansome, 2006 |
