Richard Hernsel has an encyclopedic knowledge of bamboo.
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He can give you the botanical name of each variety that he grows, and probably of most of those known to man, if required.
“My favourite is the Bambusa Chaungii, or blue bamboo, because it is unique,” Mr Hernsel said.
“It is rare – almost a collectors’ plant – and there is only one variety.
“There are four types of black bamboo and many of the green.”
After selling his nursery in Mount Nathan in the Gold Coast hinterland and moving to the mid north coast of NSW, Mr Hernsel opened Bowra Bamboo and began propagating plants to sell at markets throughout the region.
“These days we don’t do as many as we once did, just the main plant fairs, and customers either make appointments or if the gate is open they drive in,” Mr Hernsel said.
The nursery has a small bamboo forest that features many different examples of the plant. It is a great showcase that makes visitors feel as though they are on the set of a martial arts film, minus the Ninjas.
“There are over 200 varieties of bamboo worldwide and we grow about eight different species here and probably the most popular are the screening varieties for people to gain privacy from their neighbours,” Mr Hernsel said.
Bamboo takes two years to propagate from culm cuttings and is one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet.
Growth rates in ideal conditions for certain varieties have reached 250 centimetres in 24 hours.
“The main difference in bamboo varieties that people need to be aware of is sympodial and monopodial, or clumping and runners,” Mr Hernsel said.
“If you let the monopodial get out of hand you may require a large bulldozer and an excavator to remove it.”