Bamboo Grass – Poginatherum Crinitum

Bamboo grass

Commonly known as Baby Panda Grass, Pogonatherum or Bamboo Grass is a stunning, low-growing, bamboo-like grass. The new leaves are lime green, maturing to mid green. It has a tight, compact, clumping yet graceful growth habit. Like other grasses, it likes to be kept moist. Ideal for mass plantings around ponds and pools, in rockeries, in pots or tubs provided it receives adequate watering.

While it is a grass and looks much like a mini bamboo, Baby Panda Bamboo, Pogonatherum is not closely related to bamboos and is classified instead in the Panicoideae subfamily of Poaceae.

Poginatherum crinitum

Pogonatherum Crinitum has long been used as a folk remedy for the treatment of many inflammatory diseases in Taiwan. Baby Bamboo is used worldwide as a houseplant. When the grass becomes too tall, trim the plant back so it can rejuvenate.

Give this Asian native a moist, but well drained soil. Baby Panda Bamboo likes a lot of water. If outdoors in the summer it can sit in a saucer of water. It needs a few hours a day of sunlight. Fertilize periodically; in the spring use a fertilizer rich in nitrogen and potassium, to encourage the development of new vegetation and of flowerings. Selectively remove culms to keep this grass attractive and to encourage new shoots.