PLEIOBLASTUS CHINO VAGINATUS VARIEGATUS

 

Probable height in pot - 2', in ground in S. California - 5', in habitat - 8', Shade/sun, 10 degrees F Minimum, Runner.

 

        An excellent tub or pot specimen.  Small densly packed white-striped leaves with a dry-brushed quality.  Often flowers with no ill-effect on the plant.  Could be called the cast-iron bamboo, it will take anything - drought, beating, stabbing, shooting, extreme pruning, shade or sun & still invade the entire neighborhood if smiled on occasionally.  The one thing it seems to not like is growing in Southern Florida, like all the other pleioblastus.  Introduced into the U.S. from China in 1876.

        Hermine - "Just because it's not picky & doesn't drop dead is no reason to treat it like chopped liver. Like many vigorous plants it assumes a wonderful form in a container. Nobody has a gun to your head, forcing you to plant it in front of your house where it would quickly destroy your front lawn. I'm going out for some absinthe with my French friend now."