Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Sasaella masamuneana 'Albostriata'
White Striped Dwarf Bamboo
- Family
- Poaceae
- Height
- 24 to 36 inches
- Width
- 36 to 60 inches
- Flower color
- Insignificant greenish flowers rarely produced
- Foliage color
- Green leaves irregularly striped and streaked with creamy white
- Bloom time
- Rare and unpredictable flowering
- Light
- Partial shade to full shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Moderate; spreading rhizomes may require containment and stems can be cut back in late winter to refresh growth
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 6 to 9
- Wildlife
- Provides shelter for small wildlife
About this plant
Sasaella masamuneana 'Albostriata' forms arching stems lined with elongated green leaves banded with creamy white striping that runs lengthwise along the blades. The variegated foliage creates a bright, layered canopy that remains attractive through the seasons. Flowering is rare, but when it occurs in summer, small grasslike blooms appear on slender stems before the plant returns to vegetative growth.
Originating in Japan, the species grows naturally in forested mountain regions where it spreads gradually by rhizomes. In gardens, 'Albostriata' is valued as a luminous groundcover beneath trees, along shaded pathways, and in woodland plantings where its patterned leaves bring texture and light.
Works well in
Borders · Shade Gardens · Woodland Gardens · Cut Flower Gardens
Companion plants
Hellebores · Japanese forest grass · Astilbes · Heucheras · Siberian bugloss · Sweet woodruff
Design tip
Use it as a steady framework plant, repeating it along a bed to tie separate plantings together. Keep it out of hot afternoon sun and layer it with woodland companions for a full, settled look.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at the Bellevue Botanical Garden.
