Height: 2.5 metres

The canes on this bamboo from Hokkaido and northern Honshu bear distinctive chocolate-brown or black markings. It is slightly less keen to spread than the species. We've planted it against our house and edged it with a gravel path, giving an intriguing entrance to our home. When grown in large clumps, the canopy of large palmate leaves has a very satisfying, flat-topped appearance. Apparently the new shoots taste like asparagus, but we haven't tried them yet.