Texas Bamboo Society
		Chapter of the American Bamboo Society

The objectives of the American Bamboo Society	Meetings (non members welcomed)
Provide information of the identification, propagation, use, culture and appreciation of bamboos	August 23, 24  16th Annual Texas Bamboo Festival                        2220 Barton Springs Rd. Austin Texas
Promote the utilization of a group of desirable species for distribution to public gardens and to the general public	3rd Saturday   Zilker Botanical Garden  Austin Texas                        Bamboo Garden Study and Workday
Provide plant material for research in the taxonomy, propagation,  and culture of bamboo species	4th Saturday   Mercer Botanic Gardens  Humble Texas  9am - 12pm     Mercer Bamboo Meetings
Support bamboo research in the field

E-Mail Kinder your bamboo questions ???

Texas Festivals / Events 16th Annual Texas Bamboo Festival - Austin Texas  Zilker Botanical Garden      2220 Barton Springs Rd.  Sat   August 23, 2008  10AM - 6PM        Photos 2006  Sun  August 24, 2008  10AM - 5PM        Photos 2005  Admission is Free (Public Welcomed)  Parking $3

ABS 2006 Hilo Hawai'i Group Photo 2.34 MB Bamboos are grasses, split into two major groups, runners (leptomorphs) and clumpers (pachymorphs).

Runners generally are temperate, more cold hardy than the clumpers. generally shoot in the Spring generally not propagated by culm or branch cuttings generally propagated from seed, rhizome, tissue culture	Clumpers generally are semi-tropical or tropical generally shoot in the summer generally propagated by division, culm and branch cuttings generally propagated by seed, tissue culture

(above picture) Single culm division of Bambusa Textilis, common name weavers bamboo, planted Spring 2004

Generally bamboo produce new shoots each growing season.  The shoots grow to their full height in a single growing season and do not continue to get taller or larger diameter each year like a tree.  Although water, sun, and nutrients are factors the new shoots on a young bamboo tend to get larger diameter and taller each year untill the plant reaches its full diameter and height.  A young culm from a clumping bamboo will die if it is removed from the mother plant before it has branches, leaves and roots.  Young culms one to three years make better propagation material (culm cuttings) but are not good for building material.  Photosynthesis in culm and leaves decrease with increasing age and the sugars in the culm decrease and the culm lignifies and silicifies becoming useful for building material after three to six years.  Harvesting mature culms does not lead to the death of the entire plant.