Practical
Plants

Pseudosasa japonica

Metake

a woody evergreen member of the Pseudosasa genus in the family Gramineae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
4.5 m
Spread
3 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young shoots - cooked[10][2][7]. Harvested in the late spring when about 8 - 10cm above ground level, cutting the stems 5cm or more below soil level. They have a rather bitter flavour[K]. Seed - used as a cereal[2]. Small quantities of seed are produced in many years but it is seldom viable.

Plant part
Seed
Plant part
Stem

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Anthelmintic, antivinous, stimulant, tonic[8].

Product or use
Anthelmintic
Product or use
Antivinous
Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Plants can be grown along the river edge to protect the banks from erosion[9]. Canes are fairly thin walled but make very good plant supports[12][14][9]. Smaller canes can be plaited together and used as screens or as lathes for walls and ceilings[9]. Tolerant of maritime exposure, it can be grown as a screen or windbreak hedge in very exposed positions[14][6]. The culms make an excellent wind filter, slowing its speed without creating turbulence. The leaves may look somewhat tattered by the end of the winter but plants will soon produce new leaves[K].

Product or use
Plant support

Ecology and functions

Hedge

Earth stabiliser

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Japan. Frequently naturalized in Britain.
Habitat
Woodland and damp places, forming thickets in open country, C. and S. Japan[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - if possible, surface sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse at about 20°c. Stored seed is best sown as soon as it is obtained. 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 when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a lightly shaded place in the greenhouse until they are large enough to plant out, which might take a few years. Plants only flower at intervals of several years and so seed is rarely available. Division in late spring as new growth commences. Very easy, single canes of the current years growth can be used. Pot them up in light shade in a greenhouse. Make sure the foliage is not allowed to dry out - misting 2 - 3 times a day for the first couple of weeks following division can be very helpful. Plant out in the summer once they are growing away strongly. Cane layering in May. Detach individual canes and lay them horizontally in trenches 15cm deep. New shoots should arise from each joint. Rhizome cuttings.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

One of the easiest bamboos to grow in Britain, it prefers an open loam of fair quality and a position sheltered from cold drying winds[1][3][13] but it tolerates maritime exposure[14][6]. Succeeds on peaty soils[3]. Succeeds in soils that are half earth and half stone[9]. Requires abundant moisture and plenty of organic matter in the soil[11]. Endures near-saturated soil conditions[11]. Dislikes drought[1]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is said to be the hardiest bamboo[12], tolerating temperatures down to about -15°c[11]. Down to -24°c according to another report. In warmer parts of Britain plants can attain a height of 6 metres or more. The rootstock is running and very invasive[12]. It is fairly easy to control, however, if any new shoots that are not wanted are broken off whilst they are still small and brittle. New shoots appear from April[12]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[11]. Plants often flower lightly for a number of years without dying out though they seldom produce viable seed[4]. Occasionally the plants can produce an abundance of flowers and this severely weakens, though does not usually kill, the plants. They can take some years to recover. If fed with artificial NPK fertilizers at this time the plants are more likely to die[4]. Many plants flowered heavily in the late 1980's and are only slowly recovering.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 1. 1979 - 1980. Royal Horticultural Society 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  5. Grounds. R. Ornamental Grasses. Christopher Helm 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-1219-9

    ↩

  6. Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  7. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  8. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  9. Farrelly. D. The Book of Bamboo Sierra Club. 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-87156-825-X

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  10. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  11. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Lawson. Bamboos. Faber 1968-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  13. Shepherd. F.W. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0900629649

    ↩

  14. Rosewarne experimental horticultural station. Shelter Trees and Hedges. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1984-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

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