This little bamboo is very similar to Pleioblastus distichus, but its leaves do not display the fern-like leaf grouping. Pygmy bamboo is one of the smallest bamboos, and its leaves are also very small. It is one of the best of the dwarf bamboos for use as a bonsai. This variety has minute hairs, noticeable only upon very close inspection, on the leaf sheaths and also on the leaves. Both this bamboo and Pleioblastus distichus are commonly used in Japanese gardens, often clipped to a height of only a few inches.
