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Bamboo

Bamboo

Poaceae / Gramineas

Description:
There are around 1,200 types of bamboo in the world, about 40 of which can be found in Thailand. Bamboo is classified as a grass, due to its monofilament stems and leaf shape. Bamboo is extremely strong and has the same tensile strength as steel. This is why it can be seen wrapped around construction works in Thailand. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on Earth with one species growing one meter per day! It is a very important part of forest habitats, acting as a pioneer species, rapidly creating and retaining humus rich soils.

Did you know...?

…that every time bamboo flowers the population of bamboo rats rises so much that after the short flowering time of 1 to 2 months they raid nearby villages?

Size:
The biggest bamboo species can grow 50 m high and 30 cm in diameter, the smallest are only a few centimeters tall.

Coloring:
Yellow, green or black trunk with green leaves.

Habitat
Bamboo is very adaptive and can be found everywhere, from lowland to high altitudes.

Lifecycle:
Bamboo stands start to grow from seeds; they then develop new shoots through rhizomes – underground shoots that do not require fertilization. These stands then expand in circles, sometimes with the central core dying out, leaving perfect conditions for other forest species to grow. Depending on the species, bamboo can flower in cycles of 10, 30, 60 or 120 years, all stems in the same stock flower at the same time. Once they have been fertilized, the entire stand seeds and then dies back.

Usage:
Bamboo has been significant for humans throughout history. During Stone Age people in Asia may have relied heavily on tools made of bamboo rather than stone. Today bamboo is used for construction, utensils, containers of various sizes including cages, fencing, musical instruments, water pipes and fishing equipment, to name but a few. Bamboo is becoming a large global market too, being used as replacement for other traditional woods. Bamboo is also edible and a popular part of many dishes in Thailand for which the young shoots are picked whilst still green and soft.

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