That's just how bamboo works. Some nutrients will get diverted to one or another shoot sometimes. Doesn't mean anything. The other one will grow eventually, don't worry. Another month or two and it'll be going crazy with growth I'm sure.

When bamboo shoots, a new culm will get to its full height in several weeks and never get taller or larger in diameter. It's not like a tree where the trunk and branches will keep getting bigger or taller. That may be all the growth you get this year for those little culms, although it may put out some additional leaves. Next year, more shoots will come up and they will reach their full height in several weeks, and they will be taller than this year's growth. This will go on for years until it reaches that maximum height for the species, at which time it will continue to put up new annual shoots, but the culms will max out. Also, because of the nature of bamboo, do not prune to encourage growth...nothing will grow back where you lop it off.

I think his concern was that the shoot hasn't even finished it's actual full growth, branched out yet or leafed out yet and just stalled while the other one kept growing. Which happens sometimes. After the now taller one is done the other one should continue to it's full growth and branch out and leaf out. He'll probably get more shoots before summer is over too. Since shooting season has just begun.

tcameronk-
What you say is possible. However, since the shoot on the left has not grown in the 6 weeks he has had it, I am skeptical that he will see anything more than additional foliage. It would be interesting if the OP posts another photo later in the summer.

Tcameronk-No, it's not that it hasn't grown since purchase, because it has. It has doubled in size since purchase (6wks ago). It simply hasn't grown much since the new shoot came up (2.5ish wks ago.)

And I hope it isn't done for good since this is supposed to be about 35' when mature.

Kudzu9- that makes sense. I was hoping it was just putting all the growth into the new shoot temporarily.

Incidentally, since posting a couple days ago, the new shoot has put on about 6" and is now a bit taller than the other.

Thanks for the input!

Erin

CrosStitching-
The maximum height listed for D. minor is 25 feet, which will take a number of years to attain, if it does indeed reach that maximum height. As far as those small culms you are showing, they may well be at or near their maximum height now and forever. It will only be future culms that will successively be larger each year until the plant gets to its full size. The life span of culms is roughly around seven years, so those two little culms may even be dead by the time this bamboo maxes out. Am I being clear on what is happening and going to happen here?

-Sorry, I believe I reversed the names of the posters I was replying to previously.-

Anyways,

Why would a culm that is less than 4months old, in the beginning of the growing season, top out at 4.5'?

I understand that sequential culms grow larger each year, but I believed that it would be more than 4.5'.

This is exactly what I bought.

http://bambooplantsonline.com/collections/clumping-bamboo/products/angel-mist-bamboo

Thanks for the input!

I noticed on the first culm today that it is forming a side branch near the top, about 10" from the top leaf. How does branching fit into the growth pattern?

How many new culms should I expect this year?

Yes, it's typical for the shoot to come up to full height and then put out side branches and leaves: over the next several weeks you should see more branching and foliage. It's questionable whether you will see more culms this year. Most bamboo only shoot once a year in a fairly short time frame of a couple of weeks. Occasionally I have heard some people report a second shooting for a few species, but I have not observed that.

How to expect your new bamboo to grow

I'm not sure what you are saying no to me about. I didn't say I thought it didn't grow at all. Kudzu9 said that when he was replying to me. You said it stalled out when the new one started. That's exactly what I commented on.

Anyway it's definitely possible to get more shoots this year. If you get a lot of sun and fertilizer. My bamboo get's so much sun and water and fertilizer that it keeps shooting all through spring, summer and into fall up to winter. However the really late shoots don't have time to harden off before freezing so those last ones usually don't make it through winter. If it's a mild winter they will just stop mid shoot, the shoot will just stop half way grown, then resume in spring. I have two different species that did that this year, the shoots stopped when winter came, then they resumed growth a month ago when it warmed up. Now they are starting to branch out. Anyway it doesn't mean his one shooting season is over quite yet though, it may not have totally finished the first shooting. They don't always all come up all at once. They can spread it out a bit and progressively shoot one here and there over a month or two. Everybodies bamboo growth will be a little different than the next person. Being behind that fence though and blocking some sun is probably going to slow it down some though. So it might be it for your shooting season. I guess just wait and see. Mine like to branch out and leaf out, then shoot some more when they have enough nutrients built up.

As far as height, anything the American Bamboo Society says is the typical height. Bamboo can often reach much larger sizes than they list in the ideal conditions. I often read on Bamboo nursery websites and from others that grow it that they have much larger sizes than what is listed. An example is Bissetii. It's listed to grow 20 - 30 feet. Usually 25, but some people have gotten it up to 40 feet. Same with Decora, that I have, listed for not as high, but a nursery has some some that is 40 feet also. I've seen some smaller ones listed to grow only a few feet but then people are growing it twice the height it's said to grow. But on the flip side of that there are plenty of people that never get their bamboo nearly as tall as the listed height because of adverse conditions, or very cloudy or shady areas.

Well, I hope the OP updates us in a couple of months: whatever happens will be interesting.

tcameronk-
If you look at the ABS tables, the heights are all listed under "Max. Height," not typical height. I am familiar with only one species growing in the U.S. that exceeded the ABS Max Height listing. You may well know of others. However, the point of my comment was to temper the expectations of the OP, since, in my experience, most people are lucky to have their bamboo get close to the Max. Height ABS listings.

Apologies tcameronk, I accidentally reversed the names I who I was speaking to. I appreciate your input and look forward to seeing how much growth I get this season. the bamboo is positioned so that it gets all of the East Sun all day long. That spot doesn't get shady until late afternoon. And in this hot area, trust me, any little bit of shade is helpful even for sun loving plants. It doesn't freeze here usually in the winter so maybe mine will grow for quite a while before it pauses for colder weather.

I'll post up pics in a month and let you know how it grows.

Thanks!

Erin

Erin-
Good luck...I'll be interested to see future photos.

Not "stalled", but "done". Most newly planted bamboo has a 3 yr rule. Year one = sleep, Year two = Spread, Year three = shoot. I have two incense bamboo's (P. atrovaginata) that looks like yours...and it's been in the ground for 2 yrs. It's still growing...although its all underground. I was lucky to have 5 shoots per this spring and I don't expect those to get much more then 5-6' tall (if I'm lucky).

My other bamboo (P. angusta) took the full 2 years to produce more then 3-4 shoots. Year 3 produced about a dozen, year 5 about 3 dozen, etc etc. Now its 12 yrs old..and looks absolutely amazing.

Angel mist is a great species btw...nice choice. it'll be glorious once it matures.

But as others mentioned above, bamboo typically shoots once per year, grows to "whatever height" it can, and that's it. It's done for the year. The rhizomes will grow/spread mostly during summer/fall. Those existing shoots wont grow taller, or wider. Future shoots will - but again, you won't get to full potential for at least 3-4 yrs.

I would however recommend feeding 1st and 2nd year with a general purpose lawn fertilizer. For a 1 gal plant... 1 cup in spring, 1 cup in early fall, 1 cup late fall. Scatter wide (about 3' around) and lightly incorporate. Water frequently. (1"+ per week minimum) 1 gal bamboo plants are vulnerable. Lots of love required. :)

As it turns out, my bamboo isn't done growing for the year. Maybe with my very warm and rainy climate it is enjoying more growth time. The first pic I posted months ago features the now very bushy short branch to the far right of this photo. After that culm branched out, a new shoot appeared (the middle culm here) and it jumped to about 10ft tall (the fence is 6' for reference.) once that culm was fully grown it branched out and a couple weeks later TWO new shoots appeared about a week apart. They are the other two tall culms pictured. The one on the right is beginning to branch and will be done gaining height. I expect another foot of growth to the one on the left and then it will begin branching. I'm very happy to see how well this bamboo is taking off and can't wait to see if it continues to grow till winter drops the temperature into the 70's.

The color and striping on this variety is just lovely!