Pleioblastus simonii
| Pleioblastus simonii | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 20' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Pleioblastus simonii (common name: medake)
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. Very easy, single canes can be used. Pot them up in light shade in a greenhouse. Make sure the foliage is not allowed to dry out - misting 2 - 3 times a day for the first couple of weeks following divsion can be very helpful. Plant out in the summer once they are growing away strongly.
Cultivation: A very easily grown bamboo, it succeeds in most soils but prefers a good loamy soil in sun or semi-shade[1]. Dislikes drought[1]. Tolerates maritime exposure[2].
A very hardy plant, it can tolerate temperatures down to between -20 and -25°c.
The rootstock is running and very invasive[3][4][2]. Another report says that it is a vigorous grower but not invasive[5]. New shoots are produced from May[4].
The canes are harvested commercially for their many uses in Japan[5]. It is the third most commonly cultivated species in Japan[5].
This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[6].
Unlike many bamboos, this plant quite often flowers and sets viable seed, the plants do not usually die as a result of this[7]. However, if they are fed with artificial NPK fertilizers at this time they are far less likely to survive[7].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan. Locally naturalized in Britain[8].
Edibility: Young shoots - cooked[4][9][10]. They have a very bitter flavour, this bitterness is considerably reduced by changing the water at least once during the cooking process - though this will also remove quite a few of the nutrients[K]. The new shoots are about 20mm in diameter[K].
Usage: Canes are thin walled but extremely strong, they can be used as plant supports, also for fencing etc[4][9][11][5]. Often used in China for making fan handles, poles and in various handicrafts[5].
Tolerant of maritime exposure and very hardy and vigorous, this plant makes a good screen or hedge[4][2][5].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: Arundinaria simonii. Bambusa simonii. B. viridistriata. Nipponocalamus simonii.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Taylor, Jane. The Milder Garden. Dent, 1990.
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Lawson, Alexander. Bamboos. Faber, 1968.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Farrelly, David. The Book of Bamboo. Sierra Club, 1984.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Royal Horticultural Society. The Plantsman Vol. 1. 1979 - 1980. Royal Horticultural Society, 1979.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.