Bamboo facts
Bamboo has in just a few years become known as the super environmentally friendly choice when buying clothes, flooring, or household items. But what exactly is bamboo?
Bamboo is a collective term for woody grasses (Bambusoideae) from subtropical and tropical regions and is therefore technically a grass. It encompasses 1,575 species, which are divided into 111 genera. It was the German botanist Charles Kunth who first published these taxonomic findings in 1815.
Bamboo is the largest and only grass species that can diversify into forests. Although bamboo is a grass, many species resemble trees, but there are some significant differences between grass and trees.
A tree grows both in diameter and height each year, whereas bamboo reaches its full height in a single season and then neither grows in diameter nor height. Instead, it gradually produces more side branches and leaves. Additionally, bamboo does not have bark but has protective leaves around the culm in their early developmental stage.
Bamboo is not just bamboo
Bamboo consists of many different species, each with unique growth rates. Some bamboo species can grow up to 1 meter per day, given optimal soil and climate conditions. Others can reach up to 40 meters, and some grow no taller than a few centimeters.
Some bamboo species bloom with intervals of up to 60 years. This flowering is often synchronized over large areas. It's hard for animals that rely on bamboo for food, as the plants wither entirely after blooming. But new shoots grow from the underground root system shortly thereafter, allowing the plant to continue its cycle.
Bamboo is a hugely resilient plant
If the bamboo shoots are planted on a reclaimed field, they may need a little pesticide to grow. But after that, no pesticides or fungicides are required, thanks to the bamboo's antibacterial properties.
The resilience of bamboo was truly proven in 1945 when it was the only plant that survived the radiation from the bombing of Hiroshima. The heat from the atomic bomb destroyed all trees and other plant life, except for a bamboo grove that later regrew. Bamboo only needs small amounts of sun and water to grow, making it a non-resource intensive crop.
Where does bamboo grow?
Bamboo is native to Africa, Asia, South America, North America, and Australia. In Europe we must import it. However, bamboo plantations have a positive effect on CO2 emissions, as bamboo absorbs five times more CO2 and produces 35% more oxygen than an equivalent amount of trees.
Bamboo can tolerate extreme conditions and is able to grow anywhere – from plantations at sea level to areas in the Andes Mountains at over 4000 meters altitude and in the Himalayas where they withstand temperatures far below -20 degrees Celsius. But the species in Europe do not grow as fast or as tall as in China.
Bamboo is better for the soil it grows in than other crops. The roots remain in the soil after harvesting, allowing the plant to continue growing. This helps prevent deforestation and provides more space for growing other crops, such as food.
About 100 species are used commercially, and they are different from the ones pandas eat. 20 of these species are prioritized for those who wish to start a bamboo plantation.
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