About

This low-growing, clumping bamboo develops a gradually expanding colony that reaches up to 1.2 meters in height. Its slender, light green stems support narrow leaves that can grow up to 20 centimeters in length, featuring stripes of creamy white.

About the genus

Pleioblastus consists of evergreen bamboo species that vary in dimensions and growth patterns. These plants have aggressive rhizomes that create thick clusters of slender canes, each featuring multiple leafy branches at every node.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture
Moist but well-drained
Aspect
West-facing, South-facing
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness
H5

Plant details

Plant type
Bamboos
Habit
Suckering, Clump forming
Foliage
Evergreen
Height
0.5-1 metres
Spread
1-1.5 metres
Time to full height
5-10 years
Suggested uses
Architectural, Patio and container plants
Native to
Japan

Care notes

Cultivation
Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. Protect from cold drying winds. In a container grow in a peat-free, loam-based compost and feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser on a monthly basis during the growing season.May remain clump-forming in poor or dry soils but can become invasive in warm, moist or favourable conditions and need restraining ; see bamboo control and bamboo cultivation
Pruning
Remove weak, dead, damaged or spindly stems in spring and thin to show off stems to best effect. Cut out any flowering shoots promptly to discourage more from forming - see bamboo cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by division, separate rhizomes in spring, keeping divisions moist until well established
Pest resistance
May be susceptible to slugs
Disease resistance
Generally disease-free