Common Name: Chishima Zasa

General Information

Sasa kurilensis is an evergreen bamboo that can grow 100 - 200cm tall; the erect, woody culms are around 10mm in diameter with thin-walled internodes[]. The rhizomes are elongated, the plant having a running habit that can produce new canes some distance from the main clump. It quickly forms an open thicket of slender, erect culms topped by a loose canopy of large, spreading leaves[]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials. The young shoots are so popular in Japan that a license is required in order to collect them[]. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental and can be used in soil stabilization projects.
We have no specific information for this species, but members of this genus have a running rootstock that in some species can become rampant and invasive[]. It is said to hamper the regeneration of forests in its native habitat[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - Russian Far East (Sakhalin), northern and central Japan, Korea.

Habitat

Forms compact clumps in thickets on high mountain slopes, C. and N. Japan[, ].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Bamboo
Height	4.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Sasa kurilensis is a very hardy species, it grows wild further north than any other bamboo, succeeding even in areas with heavy snow[]. It tolerates temperatures down to about -20°c[].
Species in this genus generally grow best in partial shade, preferring a damp humus rich soil[].
This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[].
A polymorphic species[].
There is at least one named form, selected for its ornamental value[].
Yields of stems harvested for their fibres in Japan are around 45 tonnes per hectare per year though the cost of gathering and bundling the canes makes economic use problematic[].
Bamboos have an interesting method of growth. Each plant produces a number of new stems annually - these stems grow to their maximum height in their first year of growth, subsequent growth in the stem being limited to the production of new side branches and leaves. In the case of some mature tropical species the new stem could be as much as 30 metres tall, with daily increases in height of 30cm or more during their peak growth time. This makes them some of the fastest-growing species in the world[].
Bamboos in general are usually monocarpic, living for many years before flowering, then flowering and seeding profusely for a period of 1 - 3 years before usually dying. This pattern can vary - sometimes flowering is sporadic, with plants flowering annually and not dying; at other times it is gregarious with all the plants in a specific species coming into flower at the same time.

Edible Uses

Young shoots - cooked[]. They are so popular in Japan that a license is required in order to collect them[].

Seed - used as a cereal[]. The seed is only produced at intervals of many years.

Medicinal

A potential cure for cancer has been discovered in the leaf[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant has rampant roots and this can be utilized in soil stabilization schemes[]. It would be best to only use this plant in soil stabilization projects within its native range due to its propensity to spread and potential for invading other habitats[].

Other Uses

The canes are used for making particle boards such as hardboard[]. The fibre dimensions mean that it is more suitable for thick paper and fibreboard than for thin papers[].
The canes are also used as plant supports etc.

Propagation

Seed - if possible, surface sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse at about 20°c. Stored seed is best 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 until large enough to plant out, which could be a few years. Plants only flower at intervals of several years and so seed is rarely available.
Division in late spring as new growth commences. Take large divisions, trying to cause as little root disturbance to the main clump 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[]. Divisions of less than 5 - 6 culms rarely succeed[].