One of if not the most eye-catching bamboos that light up shady areas of the landscape, Kuma-Zasa is a dwarf bamboo with dark green leaves through summer that then form bold, creamy white bands around the margins in fall with coloration persisting through winter. The colorful leaves are up to 10 inches long and about 2 inches wide on spreading plants that grow from 2 to 5 feet tall and up to 10 feet wide depending on pruning. Kuma Zasa will tolerate a lot of moisture in the ground more sun in the North than in the South, where it prefers afternoon shade or filtered sun. 

For Taller Plants:  A mowing or trimming to the ground in late winter, before new growth emerges, will result in taller plants.

For Lower Plants:  An annual mowing or trimming after new growth has flushed will maintain lower plants. 

Note:  For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6a, where this Bamboo variety is not reliably winter hardy, you'll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Kuma Zasa Bamboo grows well in any average, medium moisture soil however will tolerate a lot of moisture in the ground. In the Northwest it will grow in full sun, however, in the South it appreciates some shade or filtered sun at least during the afternoon hours.

Kuma Zasa Bamboo is a running bamboo, which means it spreads, but it doesn't spread nearly as much or aggressively as some other dwarf bamboo species. If you want to ensure it stays within a specific space we suggest the use of Bamboo Root Barrier to control spread.

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