Pseudosasa japonica

I guess the price was right. That's why I purchased a bamboo that was clearly not hardy in my zone. However I wanted to have bamboo that represented as many different genera as possible.

When the plant arrived in the Spring of 2010 it was not very impressive. I grew it in a pot and it sized up pretty well.





I decided to keep it in a pot for the first winter in a grow room in my basement. Despite having only regular fluorescent lights, the bamboo did send up a few new shoots during the winter.
Winter 2010



It looked great in April when I put it out on the deck but I learned a lesson in the process. A few cold nights and too much direct Sun quickly burned and killed most of the youngest leaves. I didn't take a picture of plant after that.
Spring 2011



The plant quickly recovered in the Summer and I decided I didn't have the space for it again inside for this winter. I planted it out at the cottage in PEI. It is in a fairly protected site and it seems quite happy. It sent up three or four new culms but they pushed up too late in the season. They didn't have a chance leaf out or harden off before the cold weather arrived.
Summer 2011



It looked great in early November just before I tarped it before the winter.
I took a peek through the plastic in January and the leaves were still green. So if we can get some snow cover, I am fairly confident this bamboo will do alright next Spring and maybe push up a few taller culms.
Fall 2011



It is a very vigorous bamboo and I will continue to protect it through winters as long as it is manageable. Otherwise, I assume it will simply die to the ground every winter and come back each year as a perrenial. If this happens, it may lose vigour and eventually die off. Time will tell.

I really appreciate the larger, wider leaves when compared to Phyllostachys and Fargesia species.

TC