Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima' (Shiro-shima-inyo) - A slender-stemmed running bamboo to 10-15 feet tall with boldly variegated green and creamy-white leaves 6-10 inches long by up to 1 1/4 inches wide. The growth tips and young leaves are sometimes tinged pink or purple and there are long hairs on the leaf sheaths. The variegation persists throughout the year.
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' that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
Please note that after 46 years in business, San Marcos Growers will be discontinuing nursery operations by the end of 2025 and the property will be developed for affordable housing.
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