Indocalamus latifolius

Indocalamus latifolius, sometimes called Arundinaria or Sasa latifolia, is a small bamboo with a particularly dense habit. It naturally forms a ball and is adorned with large shiny and trailing leaves, which are extremely decorative all year round. Barely spreading, it is perfect for creating an elegant and almost maintenance-free privacy screen in a small garden or on a terrace. Also highlight it as an isolated clump, at the curve of a path, and, of course, in a Japanese garden. Perfectly resistant to cold, it however requires a sheltered and semi-shaded situation, as its superb foliage fears dry and cold winds and scorching sun.

Indocalamus latifolius is a plant of the Poaceae family; it is a kind of giant grass with woody stems. This botanical species is native to the north and east of China. It is well adapted to our temperate climates; it is hardy to -18°C (-0.4°F). Its rootstocks are weakly spreading in moist to wet soil, but more so in dry soil. They then develop in straight lines and at shallow depth, which allows them to be pulled out or cut as soon as they appear near the mother plant. This operation promotes the development of young canes at the level of the main stump, thus helping to maintain a dense and vigorous clump. This bamboo has a rapid growth rate and shows a bushy and ornamental ball habit from a young age. It develops thin canes or culms, 5 to 8mm (0.2 to 0.3in) in diameter, culminating at an average height of 3m (10ft), sometimes more depending on cultivation: a potted plant will develop less than in open ground. The canes are green, completely hidden by abundant and spectacular evergreen foliage. It consists of long and wide trailing leaves measuring up to 30cm (12in) in length. Their colour is a beautiful bright green, with a glossy finish.

Indocalamus latifolius excels in a Japanese garden, particularly in the cool, shady atmosphere of a forest floor, in the company of Japanese maples or Japanese azaleas, for example. Use it to create an elegant green screen, in the open ground as well as in pots. It is perfectly adapted to Zen, exotic or contemporary style gardens. Avoid planting it in the burning sun, in dry soil, and in windy situations. Highlight it as an isolated clump at the edge of a path or in the centre of a bed where it will brilliantly play its role as a sentinel plant. It integrates quite easily into the garden, alongside the sacred bamboo, Japanese euonymus, dwarf Pinus mugo, loropetalum or sarcococca. It adapts quite well to cultivation in a non or little heated conservatory, provided it has light and not too dry atmosphere.