# Plant with a "bamboo" appearance



## Lingonfil (Jul 3, 2007)

I'm searching for a plant that looks like a submerged form of bamboo. It needs of course to be smaller then actual bamboo. The appearence of the stalk is not the most important, the segmented type of stalk significant for bamboo is not required and the stalk needs not to be as thick as bamboo. It is more important that the leaves look similar to bamboo and it is also important and that the leaves and 'branches' won't grow to dense.

This link will illustrate what they leaves must look like: http://www.bamboogardener.com/bamboo-pictures/thamno-aristatus-leaves.jpg

Polygonum (the green one) comes close, but the 'branches' doesn't really spread out from the stalk...

Anyone have any suggestions?


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## agentho (Jan 14, 2007)

*Re: Plant with a "bamboo" appearence*

Crassula helmsi


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

*Re: Plant with a "bamboo" appearence*

Polygonum species are definitely your best bet. They will sideshoot if you trim them and leave the bottoms in place.


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## Left Coast DJ (Nov 16, 2006)

*Re: Plant with a "bamboo" appearence*

Hygrophila Corymbosa 'Siamensis' has very bamboo look to it.

DJ


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## Lingonfil (Jul 3, 2007)

*Re: Plant with a "bamboo" appearence*

Thanks guys. Perhaps Polygonum will do the trick. What I've gathered Polygonum hydropiperoides will stay a nice green. But what about Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoneum'? On most pictures it has a pink hue to it, does anybody have any experience with this plant? 'Cause if I can keep it green it will do just as well.


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: Plant with a "bamboo" appearence*

my _Polygonum Kawagoeanum_ dramatically
colors up as it gets closer to my tank lights.
it seems to grow in brief spurts,
and looks best with lots of space.
Ottos love relaxing on their leaves.
I have a wavy leaf version of this plant
that maybe someone can ID for us.


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## mrkookm (Oct 25, 2006)

*Re: Plant with a "bamboo" appearence*

I don't think it is a Polygonum sp. but instead a  Commenlinacecae sp. Murdannia. See also the  Commenlinaceae sp. (green)

What do you guys think?


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

*Re: Plant with a "bamboo" appearence*

^^^^^^^^^^^^

I agree....also sometimes referred to as Murdannia sp. 'red'


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

*Re: Plant with a "bamboo" appearence*

Ahem........

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...etails.php?id=258&category=genus&spec=Unknown

You can tell this one prefers to be out of water, but it still does pretty well. Nice pearling.


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

why didn't I think of that? 

as it grows close to high light it will get highlights of purple.....if you let it float on the surface the leaves can get deep purple


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## rs79 (Dec 7, 2004)

Um, you can use bamboo.

"lucky bamboo" is all over the place here these days, if it's not try Chinatown. I've used it hald submersed and it does fine year in year out.


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## andrew__ (May 18, 2007)

rs79 said:


> Um, you can use bamboo.
> 
> "lucky bamboo" is all over the place here these days, if it's not try Chinatown. I've used it hald submersed and it does fine year in year out.


that variety of dracena is only called "bamboo" because of the stock, which is vaguely similar to bamboo. Leaves are nothing alike. also, gets much taller than most aquariums will hold.


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## rs79 (Dec 7, 2004)

I'm missing the point here... do you want bamboo stems in water or leaves? If it's leaves you want, give up. Stems are easy. Dead real bamboo or living lucky bamboo both work. Lucky bamboo will be fine with the leaves out of the tank, it'll root and use nutrients like any other plant as long as the leaves get some light.


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## ianmoede (Jan 17, 2005)

Hygro augustifolia has a bamboo like shoot.


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## biker (Sep 6, 2004)

If you need a water plant like bamboo, I would recommend Najas sp. with overall similar effects of decoration.


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## Lingonfil (Jul 3, 2007)

rs79

I never had a thought of actually putting bamboo in the tank. What I'm after is a plant that will look similar to bamboo, and as i wrote in my first post I care less for the stem and more about the leaves and general appearence. 
I want something to look like this:
http://silkplant.co.uk/files/t/thumbnails/bamboo_natural.jpg
altough I will probably not plant it so densely.


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## gas (Jul 27, 2006)

Like biker najas or Rotala Nanjenshan less dark looks like bamboo. (not the leaves but the general aspect)


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