Pseudosasa japonica                                                      "Japanese Arrow Bamboo"

     "Japanese Arrow Bamboo" is perhaps the most widely cultivated bamboo in the United States. It is quite different from bamboo of the Phyllostachys genus. It produces a profusion of slender culms that grow tightly together, forming a dense hedge, with large, dark green foliage, having a somewhat tropical appearance.
    P. japonica is a tough and versatile bamboo that will thrive in shade but also grows well in a sunny location.  It is wind tolerant and found in many gardens along the coast of Oregon, Washington, and California.
    It makes a great container plant and it's large leaves, with the ability to tolerate low light, will succeed in most indoor conditions where other bamboos would fail. 
    It is a good choice when a 15 foot tall, very dense, evergreen screen is desired. It can be pruned to almost any height and we have seen several cases where it has been sheared into a rigid, square hedge. The culm retains a tan colored outer covering called a "culm sheath" which creates a checkered contrast with the green culm.