Investigation of winter hardiness and stem diameter of Phyllostachys taxa in Hungarian collections

Abstract

The aim of our work is to investigate the genus Phyllostachys whitch one of the best cold-tolerant genera of bamboos in these collections. Taxa of the genus Phyllostachys can be grown well in Hungarian conditions and can be classified as larger bamboos with their size. We examined in the largest Hungarian collections whether the most common taxa could reach the same stem diameter in the Carpathian Basin as in their home country. The collections we examined are the Diószegi Sámuel School Botanical Garden in Debrecen, László Nagy’s bamboo garden in Gyula, Jenő Kiss’s bamboo garden in Erdőtelek, the Dmkert Kft. in Pécs, and the MATE Gödöllő University Botanical Garden. In addition, we tested the winter tolerance of the given taxa under domestic conditions for two years. Based on the obtained results, we determined which taxa can be recommended in the gardens due to their outstanding properties in Hungary, also as groves or hedges, and with their unusual appearance they can increase the complexity of the Hungarian garden culture.