Sasa nipponica

Sasa nipponica is a low, evergreen bamboo from Japan. It belongs to Poaceae, the grass family. Miyako-Zasa is one of its common names. Kew places its native range in Japan's temperate region. Plants For A Future records woodlands and damp hollows in central and southern Japan. This bamboo grows to about 2.6 feet (0.8 metres). It keeps its leaves throughout the year.

A woodland garden suits its need for shade and moisture. It can grow at a shaded edge or beneath light tree cover. Give it damp soil with plenty of humus. It accepts sandy soil, loam, and clay. It also tolerates mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil. Plants For A Future lists USDA hardiness zones 6–9. Its spreading rootstock can become invasive. This matters when choosing a place among other garden plants. The source also notes resistance to honey fungus.

Flowering takes place only after gaps of many years. Each flower has both male and female organs. Wind carries the pollen. Seed production draws heavily on the plant's reserves. Flowering can leave plants weak, and some may die. Plants left undisturbed often recover, though this may take several years. Plants For A Future warns against artificial NPK feeding during this phase. It reports that such feeding can increase the risk of death.

The young shoots are edible after cooking. Plants For A Future reports that collecting them in Japan requires a licence. The seeds can serve as a cereal food. Yet the long gaps between flowering make seed crops rare. The same source lists no known hazards for this species. That statement does not establish safety for every use or animal. It records no medicinal uses and no other material uses.

Gardeners can raise this bamboo from seed or by division. Sow ripe seed on the surface in a greenhouse near 20°C. Keep the seed compost from drying out. Good seed may sprout soon, but germination can take three to six months. Grow seedlings in light shade before planting them outside. They may need several years to reach a suitable size. Divide plants in late spring as new growth starts. Use large pieces and disturb the roots as little as possible.