Semiarundinaria makinoi

Semiarundinaria makinoi is a dense, bushy, evergreen bamboo that responds well to pruning, an ideal choice for creating medium-sized hedges, mazes, windbreaks, or opaque screens that stay green throughout the year. When not shaped into a somewhat austere green wall, it can also be quite romantic, with its lush foliage cascading in plumes from slender canes that turn reddish-purple over time. This species, which can be more or less trailing depending on the climate and soil, needs to be controlled in its spread. Apart from that, it is a low-maintenance plant that thrives equally well in both sun and shade, in ordinary but moist soil.

Belonging to the family Poaceae (or grasses), Semiarundinaria makinoi is a trailing Japanese bamboo with a bushy yet vertical habit and rapid, vigorous growth. Reaching a height of 3 to 4 m (10 to 13ft), it forms columns that are 2 m (7ft) wide and spreads laterally through its shallow rhizomes, which are relatively easy to control. New shoots, or canes, emerge from the ground in May-June. They are relatively thin, very straight, and perfectly cylindrical, measuring 2 to 3 cm (1in) in diameter. These green canes rise and bear short branches at nodes along their entire length. As they age, they tend to turn reddish in the sun and slightly swell on mature plants. The foliage of this bamboo is evergreen down to at least -15°C. It is dense, flexible, and composed of relatively small, upright, lance-shaped, shiny light green leaves. The sheaths of the canes are semi-persistent, remaining attached to the canes for 3 months before falling off, creating a beautiful contrast between the colour of the sheath, the canes, and the leaves. The young shoots of this bamboo are edible.

Due to its density, evergreen foliage, and wind resistance, this bamboo is ideal for creating hedges that can easily be controlled in height and shape through pruning. It can be used to create a magnificent green curtain in any exposure, a screen to hide a neighbouring building or effectively combat wind and prying eyes. We recommend installing a rhizome barrier to limit its spread. For hedge planting, a distance of 1 to 1.5 m (3 to 5ft) should be maintained between each bamboo plant. This bamboo can also be planted in the garden as a standalone clump, alongside other bamboo species or large trees, such as a Caramel Tree, a Flowering Dogwood, a Chinese Fan Palm, or a Tree Fern. It can be harmoniously combined with other Asian plants like Japanese Grasses, Pieris, Sarcococca, Distylium, or Cryptomeria. These combinations will create scenes that are both exotic and visually striking.