Pleioblastus variegatus (v)

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dwarf white-striped bamboo

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dwarf white-striped bamboo RHS 2002

Synonyms

Pleioblastus fortunei 'Variegata'
Arundinaria fortunei
Fargesia fortunei
Arundinaria variegata

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Bamboos
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A low, tufted bamboo forming a slow-spreading colony to 1.2m high, the slender, pale green canes bearing narrow leaves to 20cm long, striped with creamy-white

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
1-1.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Poaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Suckering, Clump forming
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. 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

Propagation

Propagate by division, separate rhizomes in spring, keeping divisions moist until well established

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Architectural
  • Patio and container plants
  • Hedging and screens

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

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs

Diseases

Generally disease-free