Have you ever wondered whether bamboo is a tree or grass? Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on the Earth. And it releases about 35% more oxygen into the atmosphere compared to an equivalent mass of trees. Let us learn more about the unique characteristics of bamboo, one of the most useful plants on the Earth.
A flowering plant
The bamboo is an evergreen perennial flowering plant that belongs to the Poaceae grass family. You read it right – bamboo is just grass and not a tree! It has hollow cylindrical stems, typical of the grass family, as opposed to the wooden trunks of the trees.
Though bamboo is a plant, it has an amazing growth rate. It is one of the fastest growing plants on the earth. Certain species can grow up to 3 feet in a day! Bamboo plant grows by the elongation of its cells.
Oxygen supplier
Bamboo releases about 35% more oxygen into the atmosphere than its hardwood companions. It can help fight global warming by absorbing excess carbon dioxide. Another amazing feature of bamboo is that it can tolerate extreme conditions that most other plants cannot. The only plant life that survived the Hiroshima bombing was a grove of bamboo. A museum in Hiroshima still preserves the culms or the offspring from the grove.
Sturdy and strong
Bamboo is stronger than steel! It might even be one of the strongest things on our planet. Hard to believe? The tensile strength of bamboo is greater than that of steel and it can withstand compression better. Many civil engineers have started using bamboo for structures and for reinforcement. People have also started using bamboo to make bicycle frames due to its strength, in spite of it being so light!
Predecessor of bulb filament
Bamboo is closely associated with one of the most famous inventions ever – the light bulb! Thomas Edison, in his pursuit of a practical incandescent lamp, tried a variety of materials as the filament. He and his colleagues found out that carbonized bamboo filament could last for about 1200 hours, which led him to getting his patent filed finally!
Other unique characteristics of bamboo
- There are over 1400 different species of bamboo. They differ in their color, pattern, height etc. They can be found in an amazing range of colors, some being green, yellow, red, brown and black. There are also striped species with different combinations of colors.
- Based on their rhizome (underground stem capable of producing a new plant) propagation pattern, they are classified as ‘clumpers’ and ‘runners’. In clumpers, the rhizomes grow upward close to the parent plant to create an expanding tuft. Runners, on the other hand, have independent underground stems that run parallel to the surface, and produce shoots away from the parent plant.
- Bamboo is one of the most versatile plants around. It can be used for food, fiber and shelter. It is an excellent substitute for wood. Due to its intrinsic properties, bamboo is used for manufacturing a variety of items such as kitchenware, musical instruments, vehicle parts, construction materials, furniture etc.
Did you love reading about bamboo? Leave some space for a small grove of bamboo when you plan your next home garden.
For more such interesting facts, you can visit our Fascinating Facts section.
Here’s Something You Might Like
As a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, Science4Kids may earn from qualifying purchases.
