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
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| 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
H5Botanical 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
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.