Best in part shade but tolerates coastal full sun and a warm, or even tropical climate. Irrigate regularly to occasionally and has proven to hardy to -13° F.. Makes a good container plant and if planted in a rhizome barrier can be used to make a dense hedge that, if pruned or sheared, can be maintained as low as 4 to 6 feet tall. Needs some barrier or the plant will spread throughout and irrigated garden.

This variegated form appeared in 1977 as a variant of a plant then called Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Kemmei' that occurred three years after its flowering. This species is now thought to be a naturally occurring intergeneric hybrid that occurred in the 19th century between Phyllostachys nigra and Sasa veitchii from Honshu, Japan and it has more recently been described with the name × Phyllosasa tranquillans. From this cross it has inherited the 2 branches per node of Phyllostachys and the large leaves of a Sasa. The specific epithet is from the Latin word 'tranquillo' meaning "quiet", "calm", "still" or "tranquil" but the reasoning behind its naming was not given by the author of the name. We sold this attractive bamboo from 2001 until 2013 and it still runs about in our main nursery garden. 

The information about Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.