Practical
Plants

Sasamorpha borealis

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

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Taxonomy and growth

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

Uses

Edible uses

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

Seed - cooked. It is used as a cereal[2]. The seed is only produced at intervals of several years.

Plant part
Seed

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat
Woodlands and damp hollows all over Japan[4][3].
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 divisions with at least three canes in the clump, trying to cause as little root disturbance to the main plant 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[3].

Cultivation

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

Requires a good humus rich loam with ample moisture in the growing season[3]. Prefers partial shade, growing well in thin woodland. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[3]. 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]. The rhizome is gently running. This species is liable to be mistaken for Pseudosasa japonica[3].

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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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

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