Practical
Plants

Sasa kurilensis

Chishima Zasa

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

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Genus
Sasa
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
4 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[2]. They are so popular in Japan that a license is required in order to collect them[3]. Seed - used as a cereal[2]. The seed is only produced at intervals of many years.

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.

A potential cure for cancer has been discovered in the leaf[4].

Product or use
Cancer

Material uses

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

The plant has rampant roots and this can be utilized in soil stabilization schemes[4]. The canes are used for making particle boards such as hardboard[4]. The fibre dimensions mean that it is more suitable for thick paper and fibreboard than for thin papers[4]. Yields in Japan are around 45 tonnes per hectare though the cost of gathering and bundling the canes makes economic use problematic[4]. The canes are also used as plant supports etc.

Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Earth stabiliser

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Japan, Korea.
Habitat
Forms compact clumps in thickets on high mountain slopes, C. and N. Japan[7][6].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
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 received. 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 into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a lightly shaded place in the greenhouse until large enough to plant out, which could be 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. Take large divisions, trying to cause as little root disturbance to the main clump as possible. Grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse in pots of a high fertility sandy medium. Mist the foliage regularly until plants are established. Plant them out into their permanent positions when a good root system has developed, which can take a year or more[5]. Divisions of less than 5 - 6 culms rarely succeed[5].

Cultivation

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

Prefers a damp humus rich soil in partial shade[5]. A very hardy species, it grows wild further north than any other bamboo, succeeding even in areas with heavy snow[4]. It tolerates temperatures down to about -20°c[5]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[5]. Plants only flower at intervals of many years. When they do come into flower most of the plants energies are directed into producing seed and consequently the plant is severely weakened. They sometimes die after flowering, but if left alone they will usually recover though they will look very poorly for a few years. If fed with artificial NPK fertilizers at this time the plants are more likely to die[1]. A polymorphic species[5]. There is at least one named form, selected for its ornamental value[5]. The rootstock can be rampant and invasive[5], it is said to hamper the regeneration of forests in its native habitat[4].

References

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

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

    ↩1↩2

  3. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  6. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

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  7. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

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