The unusual bamboo plant.
Hi! Welcome to this humble blog. You may want to subscribe to TN's RSS feed for updates. Thanks! :D
Bamboo was featured as a natural and low-tech material for a bamboo and hemp bicycle and a bamboo bike trailer in previous posts, so a post on Bamboo is in order. Why get excited over a humble grass? For one, bamboo isn’t simply any lowly grass as it can attain majestic heights (80 to 100 feet for the Sweet Dragon Bamboo).
Here are some fast bamboo facts from Poly-Fil.com:
About the Bamboo Plant
- Bamboo is the fastest growing timber plant on earth and requires no fertilizers to grow.
- Bamboo regenerates (cut one stalk and two will grow in its place) with a short harvesting cycle.
- Bamboo can grow 47 inches in 24 hours and 78½ feet high in 40 to 50 days.
- It absorbs 2/3 more carbon dioxide and releases 2/3 more oxygen than any other plant on earth.
- The Bamboo plant is naturally anti-bacterial, a trait which it retains through the processing cycle and is a characteristic of the finished product.
- Bamboo is seldom eaten by pests or infected by pathogens so it thrives naturally without using pesticides.
About the Bamboo Fiber
- Strong, high luster fibers range in length from 36” up to 6’ with a thinness that compares to very fine silk.
- Bamboo fibers are naturally antibacterial and antifungal with excellent mildew resistance and soil release properties.
- Bamboo fiber is an excellent insulator with natural anti-static properties.
- Bamboo is easily blended with other natural fibers.
Other Interesting Bamboo Facts
- Bamboo will not negatively impact our environment. In fact, Bamboo plants produce highly oxygenated air and balanced humidity.
- Bamboo stabilizes the earth with its erosion control and prevention, and restores the health of soil by sequestering excess nitrogen.
- The Bamboo plant is used for watershed protection, and soil remediation. It retains water in the watershed, reduces runoff, sustains riverbanks and helps mitigate water pollution due to its high nitrogen consumption.
So whenever we use bamboo products in lieu of somethiong that came from non-renewable or difficult-to-renew rsources, we encourage the propagation and cultivation of this amazing plant. In the process, we’re actually helping ourselves.
Other posts you’ll want to read:
- Bamboo clothing and fabrics.
- Bamboo bicycles anyone?
- Bamboo cycle trailer.
- Practical bamboo product: bamboo cutting boards.
- Top ten eco-friendly mother’s day gifts.
November 1st, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I have bamboo in my backyard, I grows quite easily. what sub species grows 47inches a day. I’m curious, but also hesitant to plant that one.
Interesting post.
kt
kevins last blog post..Planning for 2009: What are your goals?:
November 1st, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Fascinating facts about bamboo. 47 ins a day!!!
I have an award for you. Drop by my blog to pick it up.
November 1st, 2008 at 9:30 pm
@ Kevin
Honestly, I’m not sure too since I’ve been trying to pin down the specific tallest bamboo species in the world. Most probably that 47 inches a day is possible with either Dendrocalamus brandisii (Sweet Dragon Bamboo) or Dendrocalamus giganteus (Giant Bamboo).
We have to note, however, that such amazing growth spurts occur only during the younger stages and under optimal conditions. As bamboo matures, the stem becomes harder and there is a corresponding decrease in growth. Otherwise, we would have bamboos that can grow 1,000 meters in their entire lifespan.
In addition, optimal conditions for growth are usually found in the areas where a specific bamboo species is indigenous. For instance, the Giant Bamboo is most commonly observed to attain its maximum height in its native Myanmar.
So I’ll bet it’s safe to plant these bamboos in backyards. The Sweet Dragon Bamboo has highly edible shoots too, even when raw, hence its name.
@ Rumpleteazer.
That’s flattering. Thanks for sending some love this way too. Will reciprocate later.
November 2nd, 2008 at 6:30 am
@admin -
Thanks for the info, I’ll be doing a little research. Bamboo that climbs 1,000 meter - that would be pretty cool. I don’t think my butterfly garden would appreciate it too much.
Have a great weekend,
kt
kevins last blog post..Sunday Matinee: Vera
November 9th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
If bamboo really does such a good job of oxygenating the air and seems to take little from the soil, it seems like it is a plant that we should be encouraging in these days of climate change.
Mark Hs last blog post..Visiting the Smallest Town in the World (Hum, Croatia)
November 10th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Yes, and one way of promoting its cultivation is to patronize bamboo products. One way or another, any dollar spent ojn bamboos will trickle down to cultivators who wil be encouraged to maintain their groves rather than turn them into corn or castor plantations.