Sasa kurilensis

Sasa kurilenis is a vigorous small trailing bamboo native to Japan where it is highly appreciated for its magnificent foliage and ability to quickly form lush green curtains, both in shade and in sunlight. Perfectly acclimatised to harsh winters and very evergreen, it has a regular and open, slightly trailing habit, which perfectly highlights its long and wide evergreen, glossy dark green leaves. The natural exuberance of this bamboo is not well-suited for container cultivation.

Sasa kurilensis is a small, bushy and open bamboo with a regular silhouette. Well adapted to harsh winters, it is native to Japan, but also found in Korea and Russia, in the Sakhalin and Kuril Islands. Like all bamboo, it belongs to the grass family, Poaceae. Its genus name, Sasa, comes from the Japanese word zasa, a term used there to designate trailing bamboo. In this plant, the young pale green canes are curved when they emerge from the ground in spring. They quickly straighten up and elongate to reach a height of about 2.50 m with a diameter of 2 cm (1in). This Sasa grows rapidly, spreading over large areas through its spreading but superficial rhizomes. Its highly evergreen foliage consists of leaves that are 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12in) long and 5 cm (2in) wide on young canes, but twice as large on older canes. Arranged in fans at the end of the branches, these, beautiful, glossy, dark green leaves are prominently displayed. The young shoots are edible, the Japanese consume them after pickling them in brine. Its hardiness is around -24°C (1°F).

Perfectly hardy and very vigorous, this bamboo thrives in deep, humus-rich, moist soil, to the point of becoming invasive. To contain its growth, we recommend using anti-rhizome barriers. Particularly decorative, it is perfectly suited for Zen, Japanese, exotic, or contemporary gardens. In sun or shade, this bamboo allows for the quick establishment of a medium-sized evergreen hedge that effectively protects from prying eyes. It can also be planted en masse along a pathway in a large garden, used as a background in a flowerbed, or as a large isolated clump. Its rhizomes are quite superficial, which allows for relatively easy control of its spread through regular removal at the periphery of the mother plant.