river cane seeds

[inksoup]

hi friends...

my brother lives in USA and he is willing to send me some river cane seeds. he lives in connecticut and works in new jersey.

so if you know where he can buy me a good germiting river cane and moso bambu seeds anf give me the address or any contact of the seller, he is going to buy and send it to me.

i will try to grow them here since here, we do not have (i think) same canes that you have there for arrow making.

best.

on the other hand, i like growing bamboos and would like to have one more type of it in my garden  :D

[Pat B]

When most bamboos flower and produce fruit the entire colony dies. Seeds would be very difficult to find. Generally bamboos are propagated and sold by rhizome cuttings. Your best bet would be to order starts from a company that specialized in bamboo starts.
River cane(Arundaneria gigantia)would be my last choice for arrows. For American bamboo(cane) I would go with A. tecta(switch cane) or A.appalachiana(hill cane) but the Asian versions are as good and probably easier for you to get. Tonka cane(bamboo plant stakes) would be one option, Japanese arrow bamboo or Bambusa multiplex would be another option. Multiplex is a non-invasive type bamboo that grows in a clump and is not invasive like most bamboos are. Do a Google search for "Bamboo" and see what might be available to you.
 Shipping seeds or rhizomes could be a customs nightmare also.

[LittleBen]

Originally posted by Pat B:
When most bamboos flower and produce fruit the entire colony dies. Seeds would be very difficult to find. Generally bamboos are propagated and sold by rhizome cuttings. Your best bet would be to order starts from a company that specialized in bamboo starts.
River cane(Arundaneria gigantia)would be my last choice for arrows. For American bamboo(cane) I would go with A. tecta(switch cane) or A.appalachiana(hill cane) but the Asian versions are as good and probably easier for you to get. Tonka cane(bamboo plant stakes) would be one option, Japanese arrow bamboo or Bambusa multiplex would be another option. Multiplex is a non-invasive type bamboo that grows in a clump and is not invasive like most bamboos are. Do a Google search for "Bamboo" and see what might be available to you.
 Shipping seeds or rhizomes could be a customs nightmare also.

Great tidbit of information there on bamboo flowering Pat! I'll bet most of us never had a clue about it.

Ink, with all this overseas shipping, you really need a good friend in customs.

Pat makes a good point about importing plants. The rules may be very strict in order to prevent introduction of invasive species.

[wood carver 2]

Ink, there is a cane that grows in countries around the Mediterranean. It's named the Great Reed ( arundo donax ) and it is very bamboo like and strong. It can be about 20 feet tall and not more than about 1 inch or so in diameter.
I have seen it growing in Malta where it is used to make sun shades for windows and doors. I've seen it used for fishing poles as well.
The smaller canes might be good for making arrows.
Dave.

[KenH]

Yep.  Bamboo is mostly reproduced by cutting a culm or two with the associated underground root-stem structure.  

Arundo donax is a close relative of bamboo, and is found all around the Med -- Spain, France, Italy,etc it also is grown in America on the Pacific coast.

[mikkekeswick]

I'm growing psuedosasa japonica.
I had it in some woods near me but the deer would not leave it alone! So I dug it up again and now it's in my garden. It's going great guns now and I should have the first arrows from it next year.  

[inksoup]

woaaa...

i was not expecting that much of explanations... thanks friends...

i know bamboos are propogated by the cutting from nodes or getting it from roots. the point is the natural bamboos around are not good enough to make a arrow. we have here something very similar to garden stalk type but it is red on the out side. i tried with this one. it is strong enough but very near to nodes there are some bumpy area and it is hardo get them straight.

i have ordered japanese arrow bamboo seeds from aliexpress.com and out of 100 seeds i get 4-5 branch. i now looking after them carefully  :D

arundo donax type bamboo, i see it around a lot, but never think about making a arrow out of it. since the tinner ones are not get woody enough and thick ones are can not be reduced in diameter since there is big hole in the middle. and you are right people are using it for primitive fishing canes.
well i will give it a try one more time to this type.

up to now, i was buying garden stalk bamboos and using them to make arrow.

i am kind of oppessed to bamboo growing and would like to have different types not only for arrow making but also i like to watch them grow.

again thanks friends...

[Pat B]

When harvesting bamboo(cane) for arrows be sure the culms(canes,shoots) you cut are at least 2 years old. First year growth is too flimsy for arrows.
 Bamboos generally grow to their ultimate height the first year of growth. The second year it matures. Any time after that second growing season is when you want to cut it for arrows.

[inksoup]

thanks Pat B.

so how can i understand if the bamboo (cane) is at least 2 years old? iw there way to see it or i just need to observe?

best.

[inksoup]

well i found my answer... but if you still have some other way than this, i would like to listen...


the age by the following.
1- (1 year old bamboo has an emerald color, sheaths just starting to fall off.
2- (2 to 3 year old has white spots on the culm/beginning of lichens
3-(5 to 6 year old you can clearly see the lichens
4-(another way is that each year the bamboo loses its leaves on it's branches and are replaced by new ones leaving a stub at the spot that leaves were at the previous year.

[Pat B]

The Arundaneria bamboos(tecta, gigantia and appalachiana), North American native cane have a 3 year growing cycle. The first year the culm grows to its ultimate height. It has a papery sheath at each node. The second year that culm matures, walls get thicker and more rigid.  
 At the end of the second growing season the papery sheath begins to deteriorate. After that second growing season is usually when I harvest, generally in January or February.
 During the 3rd season the papery sheath is all but gone and the culm changes from a bright green color to a more olive green color, still good for arrows. By the end of the 3rd season the culms die and turn tan color. I don't harvest cane that turns tan color while still in the ground.
 Other bamboos have different growing habits so a little experimentation is in order but by the end of the second season is probably a good time to harvest. I've noticed that if I do cut immature culms they seem to shrivel as they dry with longitudinal wrinkles along the surface.
 Once you've harvested cane, lay it in the sun to dry. The exposure to the sun will turn the canes to a tan color so rotate them while drying to get an even color. They will eventually turn tan on their own.
 I like to bundle a group of like sized canes(about 15 to a bundle) and hold them with rubber bands. As the canes dry they shrink and the rubber bands shrink with them, keeping the bundles tight.
  Like with bow wood, seasoning is the key to stable shafts so the longer you can season them the better.

[Onehair]

Pat, here in Ms I see both the river and switch cane. I have avoided the switch as I had heard it being inferior to the river cane. What properties to you consider better in the switch cane?
Thanks for your info

[Pat B]

Switch cane and hill cane are very similar. The problem I have with river cane is the more pronounced nodes and the larger center hole. I have arrows made from all three but I like hill cane best(it grows on my property but that's not the only reason), switch cane a close second and river cane is last. I also prefer Tonkin bamboo plant stakes better than river cane because it is closer to hill and switch cane.
 I think lots of folks are using the term "river cane" generally for most American cane. River cane typically grows to about 15' tall and about 3/4" in diameter so only the top portion of a true river cane culm is suitable for arrows.

[Onehair]

What diameter shafts are you finishing up with in say 50-60 lb. I have walked past the switch many times thinking it to small. Also by your description of the growth cycle I may have been looking mostly at first year stuff as the sheathes were very prominent.

[Pat B]

I carry a 3/8" open end wrench and cut culms of that width or bigger at the base. My finished cane arrows are about 3/8" at the point and 5/16" at the nock on a 30" shaft. I shoot 56#@26".

[Onehair]

Thanks