Phyllostachys bambusoides is known as 'Giant Japanese Timber' Bamboo.

Bambusa oldhamii is known as 'Giant Timber' Bamboo.

Is it a clumper or a running bamboo?

Can you post a pic?

Which nigras?

Kt

I've tried to add the link to the photo I just put in the gallery. It should be at the bottom of this post.
Thanks for any help

Here is a link that might be useful: unknown timber bamboo

here is the pic. of my phyl. nigra. Can anyone identify it from this picture?

Here is a link that might be useful: pyllostachys nigra

It's really hard to tell from established bamboo. Most bamboo is easier to identify from a picture of the shoot as it emerges.

thank you webgator! They are both still shooting so will take more pictures.It would be so nice to identify it and not have to say some kind of...

Are you wondering what form of nigra you have? If so, it's only the older culms (2-3 years old) that will tell that. Are they solid black? Spotted? Etc.

So a clear, closeup image of the older culms is needed to ID a specific form of nigra.

The pic looks like regular P. nigra, but it's difficult to tell from that pic.

How soon do the culms turn black? As Alan mentioned above, you can narrow down the varieties of nigra by looking at the mature culms, but even then the are several to choose from if they are solid black. There are a few solid black P. nigras that have different growth habits and are different in size, but geography can cause these to vary also.

Is your 'timber' bamboo a clumper?

Kt