Bamboo Spotlight : Pseudosasa Japonica

Pseudosasa Japonica

It’s a bamboo that is easy to grow and popular for using as hedging or screening.

The straight woody culms make good garden canes for using to support other plants and vegetables, and can be harvested for crafts projects.

Pseudosasa Japonica Spread and Growing Habits

Japonica is a hardy spreading bamboo that is quick to establish itself. It can grow in a clump, or under certain conditions may be prone to spreading over a number of years.

Spreading will be more likely if the plant needs to go looking for water. For example, I have a specimen plant growing along a bank as a windbreak/hedge and it spreads further along the bank each year, most likely on the search for water and nutrients.

The opposite is true of a division of the exact same plant that is located within a woodland setting and which has remained in a tight clump with no evidence of spreading whatsoever. My mum also has three clumps of Pseudosasa japonica var. pleioblastoides that have been in place for many years and have shown no signs of running at all.

Height

Maximum height: 5 metres (16.5 ft.) but 4 metres (13 ft.) is the average.

Culm Width

Maximum diameter: 2 cm (0.8 inches).

Sheath

The pale sheaths on the lower part of mature culms are not shed unless a branch emerges and even then, the branch sheaths often do not shed.

Culms

Dark green tall and straight, the culms are useful to harvest for garden canes and crafts.

Branches

Branches emerge as single branches, often more towards the top of the culm.

Leaves

These long drooping leaves rustle in the wind and provide good cover for privacy or shelter from winter weather as a windbreak, or to provide dappled shade from the summer sun.

Leaf size can be up to a useful 30 cm by 4 cm (12 by 1 ½ inches)

Hardiness

Hardy to min. -23°C (-10°F), zone 5 to 6

This species is tolerant of semi shade or full sun.

Uses of Arrow Bamboo

This is definitely an architectural bamboo that can be shown off as a specimen plant or used for privacy hedge and windbreaks in landscaping. Pruning to a node will produce two culms growing out from one and create a dense evergreen hedge to the height you want.

As already mentioned, this commonly known as Arrow Bamboo can be used in a variety of craft projects… where do you think it got its common name 🙂

Variety

Pseudosasa japonica var. japonica

Pseudosasa japonica Tsutsumiana

Pseudosasa japonica var. pleioblastoides – a darker green variety.

PseudosasaGenus description and list of species.

Origins

Japonica is a native species originating from Japan.

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