So there is a bamboo plant in the garden of your new house. You didn't plant it – it was just there. It grows a lot – like a weed, in fact. You may have heard there are some interesting things about bamboo, but what are they? What is there special about bamboo – or is it “special” at all?

Basic Interesting Facts

First of all, what is bamboo? In a nutshell, the bamboo plant, like in your garden, are the largest type of grasses. The stalks are usually round, and have periodic joints. (Some types have squarish stalks – but very few.) The stalks can be solid or hollow. Some types are thorny, and some types die after they fruit. Others do not flower at all until they are reaching thirty years of age. Some are evergreens, others are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves when the weather gets colder. The most common type is called Bambusa arundinacea. It is your average “garden variety” of bamboo plant.

Jack And The...Bamboo Plant?

If you plant a bamboo plant in your garden, you might wonder why it doesn't really grow much. For the first few years, it barely grows at all. But after that, look out! Bamboo plants in a garden can grow up many feet in a year, and up to 100 feet in height.

The Ultimate Renewable Resource

Because bamboo grows at such an alarming rate, bamboo can be used with very little (if any) impact on our environment. While nurseries have bamboo plants, especially the little decorative ones for a desktop, no one needs to cry for reforestation of bamboo. Bamboo grows incredibly fast, and with its root system, it “replants” itself and expands its area as it grows. Have you ever tried to remove a bamboo plant from your garden? Because of its extensive root system, removing it is close to impossible.

Because bamboo is so healthy for our planet, more products are being made from bamboo – like the plant in your garden. Bamboo can be made into many products. Some are predictable, like window blinds, paintbrushes, and cutting boards. Others are more of a surprise, like knitting needles, yarn, fabric (even for bed sheets!) and clothing, like hiking socks. When so many products are now available made out of bamboo, “buying bamboo” is a viable strategy for helping preserve our resources on this earth.