Needmore Bamboo Co.
 
                                 
         
Sasa Genus - A favorite of mine, I presently have 13 members of this genus of shrub species and I hope to collect any that are available in the US.  In zone 6 these bamboos tend to stay smaller than the listed heights and I am glad that this is the case as they look leggy and unattractive to me when they are taller.  Most members of the genus will suffer leaf burn nearly every winter in zone 6 and depending upon how much leaf burn there is, I often cut down all of the prior years culms so as to keep them from detracting from the fresh spring leaves.  One very strong exception is Sasa oshidensis which is perhaps the hardiest bamboo I have after Arundinaria gigantea, holding up very well in extreme cold - hardier than any other Sasa or Indocalamus.
    Some members of this genus are the first species to shoot in the spring and their shoots are able to stand up to many late frosts.  Some have narrow leaves, others have very wide leaves and at least one form has beautiful white pin-striping on the leaves.  Leaf color ranges from a medium green to the very glossy dark green of Sasa nagimontana, or the dark blue-green of the gorgeous Sasa tsuboiana.
   When I initially began collecting bamboo it was all about the timber forms but I quickly developed an appreciation for the broad leaf species.  I love the way they look when encouraged to 'ring' a large tree or when planted where they may form a large colony as an accent plant.  A warning though, many members of this genus are very aggressive runners and not easy to control unless you can mow the entire perimeter - they will overtake a flower bed in no time.  One can mix the different Sasa species in the same area and create a varied look in terms of leaf texture, color, shape and culm height.  O. K., I can accept that to many people the Sasa's may look alike, but I have learned to detect subtle differences - perhaps subtle enough that I could not always accurately identify them in other peoples garden.  Enough, I'll let some pictures speak for themselves.		  
         
                 
             
Sasa cernua - an uncommon form that vaguely resemble Sasa palmata but does not appear as 'palmate' to my eye. 		     
                 
                   
   
Sasa kurilensis 'Simofuri' - A striking white pin-striped form of Sasa kurilensis, and you can see from the culm diameter in the photo, this is capable of some real size. This is my third attempt at establishing this one as voles absolutely love it and have eaten every bit of rhizome on my first two. This one was dipped in a bitter tasting mammal blood product and planted in a wire cage in hopes of keeping them away. I understand that squirrels also love the new shoots, so good luck with this one! The all green form I have is still quite juvenile and I have not yet posted photos of it.		  
                   
                   
         
Sasa megalophylla - A species with large, thick palmate leaves.  Mine is really starting to get going and should be well out of control in 2007.		  
                   
                   
             
  Sasa nagimontana - very dark, very glossy & thick leaves. S. nagimontana is often listed as the hardiest of the genus but S. oshidensis has it beat by several degrees.		      
                   
                   
         
  Sasa nipponica - a low growing, narrow leaf form. This one is listed as having white/green variegation but I can not find any plant of this name with the striping - perhaps it means that as with S. veitchii the leaf margins burst in winter giving it a variegated look, but mine has not done that either.		    
                   
                   
         
  Sasa oshidensis - this topsy-turvy dark green bamboo is probably the 2nd hardiest of any that I grow. Here planted next to Sasaella masamuneana 'Albostriata', this is one of the very first species to shoot in the spring.  Vigorous, hyper-hardy, can take sun or shade and looks great - what more do we need?		    
                   
                   
             
  Sasa oshidensis in October 2007.		    
                   
                   
             
  Sasa palmata - a very popular tropical looking species. This one will burn badly if exposed to winter sun but will hold nice color if protected from winter sun.		      
                   
       
                   
             
  Sasa senanensis - purportedly one of the hardiest, this one has not done very well for me, but none of the bamboo in this general area has either so I'll hold judgment for now.		      
                   
                   
             
  Sasa tsuboiana - what a beauty! I love to look at the blue-green foliage after a rain. This photo shows the spread from a very small plant in only 3 years.  		      
                   
                   
             
  Sasa tsuboiana on the right with Pleioblastus argenteostriatus in the foreground, Indocalamus solidus on the left, and a fern bed in the background.  There are several other bamboo species in this area but the S. tsuboiana is the star.		      
                   
                   
             
  Sasa veitchii - the ever popular member of the genus, desired for the way that the edges of the leaves burst in winter and take on a variegated look. 		     
                   
                   
             
 Sasa veitchii 'Minor' - sold to me as Sasa Asahinae, currently listed as veitchii 'Minor', a dwarf form of S. veitchii proper.		      
                   
                   
             
  Sasa veitchii 'Sachaliensis' - one of 2 rare forms of S. veitchii I obtained in 2004, both were barely alive upon arrival and the other one died. Perhaps of dubious nomenclature, for now I'll stick with the name I was given for this one.