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Useful Temperate Plants

Pleioblastus fortunei

(Van Houtte) Nakai

Poaceae

+ Synonyms

Arundarbor fortunei (Van Houtte) Kuntze

Arundarbor pygmaea (Miq.) Kuntze

Arundinaria fortunei (Van Houtte) Rivière

Arundinaria oroshimozasa R.Stover

Arundinaria pygmaea (Miq.) Makino

Arundinaria shibuyana (Makino ex Nakai) R.Stover

Arundinaria uyenoensis (Nakai) R.Stover

Arundinaria variabilis Makino ex M.Vilm.

Arundinaria variabilis fortunei (Van Houtte) Houz.

Arundinaria variabilis glabra Ohwi

Arundinaria variabilis pygmaea (Miq.) Makino

Arundinaria variabilis variegata Makino

Arundinaria variegata Makino

Bambusa fortunei Van Houtte

Bambusa maximowiczii Munro

Bambusa picta Siebold & Zucc. ex Munro

Bambusa pygmaea Miq.

Bambusa variegata Siebold ex Miq.

Nipponocalamus dimorphophyllus (Koidz.) Nakai

Nipponocalamus fortunei (Van Houtte) Nakai

Nipponocalamus pygmaeus (Miq.) Nakai

Nipponocalamus ramosissimus (Nakai) Nakai

Nipponocalamus shibuyanus (Makino ex Nakai) Nakai

Nipponocalamus tosaensis (Koidz.) Nakai

Nipponocalamus tsukubensis (Nakai) Nakai

Nipponocalamus uyenoensis (Nakai) Nakai

Nipponocalamus yasuianus (Koidz.) Nakai

Pleioblastus argenteostriatus glaber (Makino) Murata

Pleioblastus chino tsukubensis (Nakai) Muroi

Pleioblastus dimorphophyllus Koidz.

Pleioblastus distichus tsuboi (Makino ex I.Tsuboi) Muroi & H.Okamura

Pleioblastus pubescens (Makino) Nakai

Pleioblastus pygmaeus (Miq.) Nakai

Pleioblastus ramosissimus Nakai

Pleioblastus shibuyanus Makino ex Nakai

Pleioblastus tectus Koidz.

Pleioblastus tosaensis Koidz.

Pleioblastus tsukubensis Nakai

Pleioblastus uyenoensis Nakai

Pleioblastus variegatus Makino

Pleioblastus yasuianus Koidz.

Pleioblastus yoshidake Nakai

Pleioblastus ystrophyllus Koidz.

Pseudosasa variegata Nakai

Sasa fortunei (Van Houtte) Fiori

Sasa pygmaea (Miq.) Rehder

Sasa variegata E.G.Camus

Common Name: Dwarf Fern-Leaf Bamboo

No Image.

General Information

Pleioblastus fortunei is an evergreen bamboo that can grow 60 - 120cm tall; the erect, woody culms have a zigzag habit, they are 2 - 6mm in diameter with thin-walled internodes 10 - 30cm long. The rhizomes are elongated, the plant having a vigorously running habit that can produce new canes some distance from the main clump, especially in warm climates.
The plant is grown as an ornamental, where it is used as a ground cover.
Pleioblastus fortunei is abundant and often dominant in the forest understorey and tolerates abandoned and disturbed areas. It seems to be highly adaptable and resilient to stresses and occurs with several conservation units. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
A very aggressive spreading plant and very difficult to eradicate. It has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in countries such as China and New Zealand[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. Very difficult to control, it even survives mowing[
195
Title
The Book of Bamboo
Publication
 
Author
Farrelly. D.
Publisher
Sierra Club.
Year
1984
ISBN
0-87156-825-X
Description
Very readable, giving lots of information on the uses of bamboos, both temperate and tropical.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

E. Asia - central and southern Japan.

Habitat

Carpets the floors of forests[
195
Title
The Book of Bamboo
Publication
 
Author
Farrelly. D.
Publisher
Sierra Club.
Year
1984
ISBN
0-87156-825-X
Description
Very readable, giving lots of information on the uses of bamboos, both temperate and tropical.
]. Forming dense thickets in its native range, it is often dominant as woodland understorey or in abandoned fields[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Other Uses Rating *
HabitEvergreen Bamboo
Height0.80 m
Growth RateFast
PollinatorsWind
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pleioblastus fortunei is a very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -25°c.
Although it succeeds in full sun, it grows best with some shade, being very tolerant of deep shade[
25
Title
Bamboos.
Publication
 
Author
Lawson.
Publisher
Faber
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
Fairly comprehensive, it was once the standard work but is now rather dated. Deals with species hardy in Britain, giving cultivation details and some uses.
]. Succeeds in most soils[
25
Title
Bamboos.
Publication
 
Author
Lawson.
Publisher
Faber
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
Fairly comprehensive, it was once the standard work but is now rather dated. Deals with species hardy in Britain, giving cultivation details and some uses.
] but prefers a good loamy soil in a sheltered position in semi-shade[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
]. Prefers a soil on the acidic side[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. Prefers a position sheltered from cold winds[
11
Title
Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
Publication
 
Author
Bean. W.
Publisher
Murray
Year
1981
ISBN
-
Description
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
]. Dislikes drought[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
].
A number of forms have been selected for their ornamental value[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. The leaf margins wither in winter to give a variegated effect.
This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Bamboos have an interesting method of growth. Each plant produces a number of new stems annually -usually in the spring and early summer, and these stems grow to their maximum height in their first two to three months. Any subsequent growth in the stem is limited to the production of new side branches and leaves.
Temperate bamboo species usually grow for many years without flowering. When they do finally flower it is not unusual for all the plants of that species in the region to also flower. They do so profusely over a period of 1 - 3 years and will often then die, probably from exhaustion. Some species, if given plenty of organic matter at this time will gradually recover, although they will look rather poorly for a year or three. If fed with artificial NPK fertilizers at this time the plants are more likely to die[
122
Title
The Plantsman. Vol. 1. 1979 - 1980.
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Royal Horticultural Society
Year
1979
ISBN
-
Description
Excerpts from the periodical giving cultivation details and other notes on some of the useful plants. A good article on the flowering of bamboos.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A useful ground cover plant and soil stabilizer in the right situation[
195
Title
The Book of Bamboo
Publication
 
Author
Farrelly. D.
Publisher
Sierra Club.
Year
1984
ISBN
0-87156-825-X
Description
Very readable, giving lots of information on the uses of bamboos, both temperate and tropical.
]. It needs an area with lots of space for it to roam at will. It sould only be used for these purposes within its native range because of its propensity to escape from cultivation and invade other habitats.

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - if possible, surface sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse at about 20°c. Stored seed should be sown as soon as it is received. Do not allow the compost to dry out. Germination usually takes place fairly quickly so long as the seed is of good quality, though it can take 3 - 6 months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a lightly shaded place in the greenhouse or cold frame until they are large enough to plant out, which could be a number of years. The plants only flower at intervals of several years and so seed is rarely available.
Division in spring as new growth commences. Take divisions with at least three canes in the clump, trying to cause as little root disturbance to the main plant as possible. Grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse in pots of a high fertility sandy medium. Mist the foliage regularly until plants are established. Plant them out into their permanent positions when a good root system has developed, which can take a year or more[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Basal cane cuttings.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-12-23. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Pleioblastus+fortunei>

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