1. Bamboo can be a clumper or a runner.
Before buying any bamboo, read the labels carefully and do your homework to learn what sort of bamboo you are purchasing. I strongly urge you to contain it if you choose a running form, particularly if you are planting it on a property line or in a small garden.
2. Bamboo is a grass, not a tree.
Notwithstanding countless photos of thick, tall, tree-like bamboo groves in books and social media, bamboo is actually in Poaceae’s grass family, and – not unexpectedly – is the largest in the family. Unlike ornamental grasses, slender-leaved, delicate bamboo can provide much-needed value in texture, pairing well with larger, bolder-leafed plants in comparison.
3. Bamboo grows lightning fast.
Ever wondered about the plant that grows the fastest? You found it this way: bamboo. The new shoots of some tropical species can grow an amazing 4 feet in a single day, but within 5 to 15 years it reaches maximum size. This amazing ability makes bamboo a go-to, not to mention a major green and sustainable crop, to solve hedge and view problems.
4. Bamboo is Superman-strong.
Try splitting a big cane of bamboo in two and it’s impossible. The tensile strength of bamboo is significantly greater than that of steel: 28,000 per square inch versus 23,000 for steel. Workers in some areas like Hong Kong use bamboo instead of conventional scaffolding and this time-tested practise goes back centuries. Bamboo is less costly, quicker to build and easier to t compared with iron rods
5. Bamboo helps Mother Earth.
Are you aware that bamboo generates 35% more oxygen than trees, plus absorbs more carbon dioxide than any plant? It means it grass works by absorbing greenhouse gasses to counteract the effects of global warming. In addition, bamboo allows an excellent alternative to wood, which means bamboo may play an important role in the regeneration of forests and landscapes.
6. Bamboo is not a fire risk if well-maintained.
With fires these days being a devastatingly ever-growing problem, there has been a lot of talk about whether bamboo is flammable or not. Some who argue that bamboo should be removed because of fire hazards may be ignoring the fact that bamboo contains few volatile oils and that silica content is high on the canes.
7. Bamboo cleans up.
Bamboo is particularly useful for extracting contaminants from water and soil and other harmful substances. This process of using plants as organic pollutants removal factor is called phytoremediation. And various bamboo sections, including leaves, roots, shoots, and rhizomes, aid in the cleanup. Bamboo is also superior to avoid soil erosion and flooding thanks to its deep root network
8. Bamboo is food.
Of course, we know that bamboo shoots and leaves are giant panda bears’ favourite food, but the shoots have been eaten all over Asia for centuries and used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Bamboo contains germanium which is thought to activate the immune system by others. Bambusa vulgaris and Phyllostachys edulis are edible bamboo plants.
9. Bamboo can be cold-hardy.
Some bamboo varieties, given their love of warmth and sun, can withstand freezing winter temperatures while adding a tropical touch. Some varieties include golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) and black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra), which can withstand freezing winter temperatures.
10. Bamboo is versatile.
There are more than 1,500 bamboo varieties to choose from and this plant fits well into most tropical to modern types of gardens. Bamboo works when used as a fence, focal poin, t or privacy screen in a garden.
