Golden Bamboo

[grantmac]

I think I've got some of this stuff growing in my folks yard, anything think it'll makes some decent shafts? I'm pretty sure its PHYLLOSTACHYS AUREA. Only problem I see is that it appears to have quite a few small branchs, but other than that it's tall a straight. Pictures will be posted if I harvest any.
         Grant

[Hillbilly]

Grant, it works if you can find small enough stems that don't have a bunch of branches (and dips behind the nodes) on them. I've made a couple from it in the past (have some growing in the edge of my yard.) There's a lot of the stuff naturalized around here. I need to cut some and give it a serious trial.

[Pat B]

Isn't golden boo too big for arrows. The patches I've seen had culms(canes) of at least 1" in diameter.    Pat

[grantmac]

Yeah it's all pretty big except for the tops. I figure I could probably make an Atlatl dart and an arrow or two out of every culm. It's either this or I buy a bunch of tomato stakes at the nursery.
     Cheers,
           Grant

[Hillbilly]

The tops of the culm probably won't work too well because they are so flattened and dipped in above the nodes. If you can find some growing in a really dry place, there will be some arrow-sized culms. It makes good atlatl darts, I've made several out of my patch. It has bigger nodes than river cane or arrow boo.