Sasa veitchii

(Carriere) Rehder

Kuma zasa

Poaceae Edible: Shoots 168 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-sa

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Sasa veitchii (Japanese: クマザサ, Hepburn: kumazasa) is a species of flowering plant in the genus Sasa, in the Poaceae family. It is a bamboo native to Japan and Sakhalin.

Description

Sasa veitchii is an evergreen bamboo growing to 1.5 m (5 ft) tall with a spread of 3 m (9 ft). It is hardy to UK zone 8 and maintains foliage throughout the year. The species has hermaphroditic, wind-pollinated flowers. It grows in light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils across mildly acidic to basic pH ranges, tolerates semi-shade in light woodland, and prefers moist soil conditions.

Edible Uses

Young shoots are cooked.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

Asia, Japan,

Propagation

Surface sow seed as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse at about 20°C, or sow stored seed as soon as it is received. Keep the compost moist. Germination is usually fairly quick in good-quality seed, though it may take 3–6 months. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough and grow on in light shade in the greenhouse until big enough to plant out, which may take several years. Seed is rarely available as plants only flower at intervals of several years. For division, work in late spring as new growth begins. Take large divisions with minimal root disturbance to the main clump and grow on in light shade in a greenhouse in pots of high-fertility sandy medium. Mist the foliage regularly until established, then plant out once a good root system has formed, which can take a year or more. Divisions of fewer than 5–6 culms rarely succeed.