Pleioblastus fortunei Variegatus - Dwarf Bamboo

Pleioblastus 'Variegatus', also known as Pleioblastus fortunei 'Variegata', is undoubtedly one of the variegated foliage dwarf bamboos that is very easy to grow in any situation. Naturally low, vigorous, upright but dense, it has abundant foliage that will be more striated with white-cream in the sun. This spreading variety can form superb ground covers or long low borders that can easily be controlled in height through pruning. In the ground or in pots, it allows for the creation of dense screens that catch the light. Evergreen and cold-resistant, it thrives in any good garden soil that is moist but not too dry, preferably non-calcareous.

Pleioblastus 'Variegatus' (synonyms Arundinaria fortunei, Pleioblastus fortunei 'Variegata') is an upright and bushy bamboo with moderate growth. Perfectly adapted to harsh winters, it is a variegated foliage form of a species native to Japan. Like all bamboos, it belongs to the Poaceae family, or grasses. This bamboo has very thin, hollow culms (or canes), pale green in colour, with a diameter of 1 mm to 2 mm (0 in to 0.1 in). They can reach up to 1 m (3.3 ft), or even 1.5 m (4.9 ft) at most, above the ground. The plant spreads more or less slowly through its creeping rhizomes on the ground. The culms branch out into thin, long, erect branches, covered with numerous medium-sized leaves. Its evergreen foliage is very abundant. It is composed of pubescent leaves on both sides, measuring 12 cm to 18 cm (4.7 in to 7.1 in) long and 2 cm to 4 cm (0.8 in to 1.6 in) wide. They are light green and streaked with white-cream, a colour that is accentuated when the plant is exposed to the sun. This bamboo is well suited to pruning, which further enhances its natural elegance.

Perfectly hardy and vigorous, this bamboo thrives in any situation but prefers sunlight as well as deep and moist soils. It works wonders in flower beds, as a ground cover in partial shade, in a small hedge, or even in a pot on a terrace or balcony. Its spreading nature requires the installation of anti-rhizome barriers to contain its growth. With its elegance, it is perfectly suited to Zen, Japanese, exotic, or contemporary gardens. It can be combined with other non-aggressive bamboos such as Fargesia (Fargesia denudata, Fargesia rufa, Fargesia murielae), Japanese maples in partial shade, dwarf conifers with blue foliage (Picea pungens 'Jeddeloh'), or even Japanese grasses, for example. It can also create small, dense and luminous hedges, along a path in a large garden or planted in large containers on a balcony. This bamboo responds well to pruning and is well-suited for container gardening, provided that the older culms are regularly removed to make room for new shoots.