Melocanna baccifera

[foxd]

After much searching, Melocanna baccifera appears to be no longer available in the U.S.

Flowered, dead and gone.

[svendrix]

Wow, I hadn't heard of that one (and probably about 1200 others for that matter)!

I found some cool links (and some other websites to devour later!):

Some info on the situation (from the perspective of India), including a pic of the bamboo, as well as the fruit that develops when it flowers!
http://www.bambootech.org/subsubTOP.asp ... ame=BAMBOO


This one has pics of someone who took the fruit and germinated it, with some pics over time afterwards.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1487

Is anyone aware of any other bamboos that develop large fruit like this? I've never heard of that before!

---Sven

[bambooweb]

I think there are some plants in Hawaii but I don't know if there are any for sale. You might check with Quindembo.

Bill

[foxd]

I think there are some plants in Hawaii but I don't know if there are any for sale. You might check with Quindembo.

Bill

Did so already. They don't have any.

[Roy]

Wow, I hadn't heard of that one (and probably about 1200 others for that matter)!

I found some cool links (and some other websites to devour later!):

Some info on the situation (from the perspective of India), including a pic of the bamboo, as well as the fruit that develops when it flowers!
http://www.bambootech.org/subsubTOP.asp ... ame=BAMBOO
............

---Sven

The above web page says:

Melocanna baccifera is a thin-walled, small diameter and non-clump forming bamboo.

But ABS Source List shows: 60 feet by 3 inches.

Vast difference.

One other thing from the site above:

non-clump forming bamboo

A non-clump bamboo, but still a tropical bamboo. (non-clump, but not a temperate bamboo) Similar to Guadua Angustifolia:

[foxd]

The species list does list it as clumping.

There does seem to have been a major flowering of M. baccifera the past few years. I've read about it flowering in Brazil and India, and the one source I talked to said his flowered and died. He had tried to germinate the seeds, but had been unsuccessful.

Somehow this species needs to be reintroduced to this country. It is just so neat and to not have it available is a shame.

[Roy]

The species list does list it as clumping.

There does seem to have been a major flowering of M. baccifera the past few years. I've read about it flowering in Brazil and India, and the one source I talked to said his flowered and died. He had tried to germinate the seeds, but had been unsuccessful.

Somehow this species needs to be reintroduced to this country. It is just so neat and to not have it available is a shame.

I think there are several problems with it. One is that it can only be grown in a very limited area of the USA. In the areas that it can be grown, it a very, very open clumping bamboo and it would be competing with the more traditional close clumping tropical bamboos. The word "exotic" would probably best describe it in the tropical bamboo world. Perhaps "novelty" also would fit.

[foxd]

I may find out, there was a illegible Fedex notice on my door at noon today. I considered several possibilities as to what it could be, but I have narrowed it down to either a Melocanna baccifera or a monkey.

Stay tuned...

[svendrix]

I'm voting for the monkey personally!!!

---Sven

[ghmerrill]

Be carefull Foxd, if its a monkey, they expect you to wait on them hand and foot!


at least the bamboo you can put outside and deal with it when you feel like it!


Gene

[foxd]

at least the bamboo you can put outside and deal with it when you feel like it!


Gene

Not and have it survive. It is snowing and the M. baccifera is a tropical bamboo that arrived bare rooted. It is now in two pots. I am going to keep them in the kitchen, since it is warmer there. Hopefully they will show some sign of life soon.

[foxd]

After posting all this I finally got around to checking today's installment of a web comic I read. Kind of a freaky coincidence!

Ask Dr. Eldritch

BTW, the package was not from Bill Gates.

[boonut]

I seem to remember that the USDA station in Puerto Rico has Melocanna Baccifera. The person in charge of bamboo at their office is a Dr. Brian Irish. Richard Waldron and I used to talk about visiting their station and staying in a bamboo house up in the rainforest on the Island.

I always wanted one of those because of the "nut"... I figured it was as close as I would get to a Boo Nut.

If you get one started, I would sure like to get a piece of it somewhere down the road. I have had a few shipped, but none made it. Primarily because of the washing and bare root.

Good luck with your boo

[foxd]

If you get one started, I would sure like to get a piece of it somewhere down the road. I have had a few shipped, but none made it. Primarily because of the washing and bare root.

Good luck with your boo

Mine was also washed and bare root, but I potted it as quickly as I could. Unfortunately, since I didn't know it was coming, I couldn't be there waiting. If I could have, I would have been able to cut at least seven hours off the time it was bare rooted.

[foxd]

An update:

One of the potted root balls has put up three shoots. A hopeful sign! Hmmm...perhaps I'd better post some pictures of Melocanna baccifera shoots!

Definitely a clumper! Probably an open clumper!