Description:

Sasa palmata 'Nebulosa' has huge leaves that are over 1' long and 3" wide, and the culms can reach 12' high with a diameter of about .75".  The mature culms have brown splotches, but these are usually hidden by the lush, green foliage.  This bamboo thrives in rich, moist, organic, slightly acids soils with full shade exposure, and is hardy to about -5 degrees F.  It will create a dense thicket over time if left unchecked, so it's great for making a "jungle" screen.  It also does well in containers for creating tropical effects on a shady deck or poolside.

Planting History:

I acquired several field divisions of this bamboo in December 2001 from a naturalized roadside planting.  Initially I grew it as a container plant in full shade, but in April 2003, planted one division in a shady area adjacent to a wooded greenbelt.  The plant established well over 2003-2004, growing in native silty loam heavily amended with composted horse manure, with summer irrigation.

Unlike the arborescent bamboos I grow, this bamboo will thrive as an understory plant, especially in moist bottomland, and is capable of displacing entire native plant communities.

Despite its vigor and invasive potential, this is a difficult bamboo to propagate in the field due to the weakness of the culm at its point of attachment to the rhizome, and the scarcity of fibrous roots.