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Pleioblastus pygmaeus

dwarf bamboo

A dwarf, evergreen, woody bamboo about 25cm tall, to 40cm in shade, forming carpets of slender, solid, mid-green canes, purplish-green at the tips, and linear, downy mid-green leaves 8-13cm long

Other common names
dwarf fern-leaf bamboo
Synonyms
Fargesia pygmae
Arundinaria pygmaea
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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
5–10 years
Ultimate spread
1–1.5 metres
Growing conditions
Clay
Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green Green
Summer Green Green
Autumn Green Green
Winter Green Green
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Clump forming, Suckering
Genus

Pleioblastus are evergreen bamboos, diverse in size and habit, with vigorously-spreading rhizomes forming dense thickets of slender canes bearing several leafy branches at each node

Name status

Correct

Plant range
Japan

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. Protect from cold drying winds. May remain clump-forming in poor or dry soils but can become invasive in warm, moist or favourable conditions; see bamboo control and bamboo cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring and keep moist until established

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Ground cover
  • Hedging and screens
Pruning

Remove weak, dead, damaged or spindly stems in spring. Cut out any flowering shoots promptly to discourage more from forming

Pests

May be susceptible to damage from slugs on new growth

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

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