Semiarundinaria fastuosa Narihiradake PFAF Plant Database

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Semiarundinaria fastuosa - (Lat.-Marl. ex Mitf.)Makino. ex Nakai.

Common Name

Narihiradake

Family

Poaceae or Gramineae

Synonyms

Arundinaria fastuosa. A. narihira. Bambusa fastuosa. Sasa fastuosa.

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Light woodlands and moist places[162].

Range

E. Asia - S. Japan. Locally naturalized in Britain and Ireland.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Semiarundinaria fastuosa is an evergreen Bamboo growing to 7.5 m (24ft) by 3 m (9ft) at a slow rate.
It is hardy to zone 7. It is in leaf 12-Jan. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Wind.

Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:KENPEI

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Habitats
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Hedge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Stem.
Edible Uses:

Young shoots - cooked[25, 61, 177]. The shoots are almost free of any acridity[183]. Although small, they are of good quality when cooked[183]. A plant at Trebah gardens in Cornwall was producing a good amount of new shoots about 35mm in diameter in early April 1995[K]. They are best harvested as they come through the soil in spring[183]. Do not take too many from any plant since this will weaken the clump.

Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. None known

Other Uses

Hedge; Hedge; Plant support.

The plant is fairly resistant to maritime exposure and makes a good shelter hedge[K]. A hedge seen in 1987 in an exposed position at Rosewarne in N. Cornwall was looking good even after the severe winter of that year[K]. It needs to be planted fairly closely if a thick hedge is wanted quickly since it is a slow spreader. 60 - 75cm is a good distance. The canes can be used as plant supports[25].

Cultivation details

Prefers a damp humus-rich soil in sun or semi-shade[200]. Dislikes drought[1]. A slow growing plant, it prefers a position sheltered from cold north and east winds[25] but is fairly tolerant of maritime exposure[K]. A very ornamental and hardy bamboo[195], tolerating temperatures down to about -22°c[25, 200]. Most leaves are produced at the tops of the stems[200]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[200]. The plant has a running rootstock but is slow moving and generally well behaved in the British climate. New shoots are produced from late April[25]. Plants only flower at intervals of many years. When they do come into flower most of the plants energies are directed into producing seed and consequently the plant is severely weakened. They sometimes die after flowering, but if left alone they will usually recover though they will look very poorly for a few years. If fed with artificial NPK fertilizers at this time the plants are more likely to die[122].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse at about 20°c. 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 as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow them on in a lightly shaded place in the greenhouse until large enough to plant out, which could be 2 - 3 years. The plants only flower at intervals of many years and so seed is rarely available. Division as the plants come into growth in spring. 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]. Basal cane cuttings. Rhizome cuttings.

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Expert comment

Author
(Lat.-Marl. ex Mitf.)Makino. ex Nakai.

Botanical References
1158200

Links / References

[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956

Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[25]Lawson. Bamboos.

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.

[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[122]? The Plantsman. Vol. 1. 1979 - 1980.

Excerpts from the periodical giving cultivation details and other notes on some of the useful plants. A good article on the flowering of bamboos.

[162]Grounds. R. Ornamental Grasses.

Cultivation details of many of the grasses and bamboos. Well illustrated.

[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.

An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[195]Farrelly. D. The Book of Bamboo

Very readable, giving lots of information on the uses of bamboos, both temperate and tropical.

[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.

Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Readers comment

Elizabeth H.
Helen Gazeley	Mon Mar 23 2009

There's nothing "sexist" about the title "Dictionary of Plants used by Man". Surely we've got past that sort of blinkered feminism by now. The meaning of "man" has always included man and woman, from the Old English "man" onwards, which meant humans. That meaning has never disappeared, except in the paranoid world of 70s feminism.

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