Plant lovers will readily attest to the fact that the bamboo plant possesses one of a kind uniqueness that gives it a special place in the plant kingdom. However, many of the qualities are not known to the average person. The good news is you will know all you need to know and about bamboo plants after finishing the article below.
What is Bamboo
The Bamboo plant grows abundantly in areas of the world with tropical climates. The plant grows rapidly and is easily identified by its hollow stem.
The 1,400 species of bamboo in the world enjoy identical flowering times each year. Scientists attribute this flowering time to the “evolutionary alarm clock” possessed by bamboo plants. This alarm clock is unaffected by environmental factors.
The many ways humans have found to benefit from the bamboo plant include the manufacturing of materials used for furniture and flooring. Bamboo is also a source of food for many animals.
How Does Bamboo Grow
The speed at which bamboo plants can grow can only be described as amazing. Most bamboo species take a couple of years to grow to full maturity, however, there are species that accomplish this in 90 days. One species has been noted to grow as much as 35 inches each day. To put this fact in a better perspective, the bamboo species in question grows nearly one and a half inches each hour.
The rapid growth of the bamboo is due to the fact the plant develops its complete supply of growth cells while in the bud stage of its life. The plant’s cells do not have to split to grow like they do with animals. Instead, the cells of the bamboo plant stretch when they take on water.
Eco-Friendly Qualities
The friendliness of bamboo to the environment has been well-chronicled. Some people with ulterior motives will attempt to downplay the green benefits of the bamboo plant but the facts are undeniable.
Repairs Damaged Soil
One fact regarding bamboo plants that has boggled the minds of many people is the plant can grow in soil that is infertile. But the next fact is even more amazing. Growing bamboo in infertile soil will make the soil fertile again. This happens because nutrient-dense leaves from the bamboo transfer nutrition to the soil when they fall to the ground and decompose.
Fights Off Toxins
Most people understand that members of the animal kingdom take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen during a process known as photosynthesis. This process makes it easier for humans and animals to get the oxygen they need. The bamboo plant takes in four times the amount of carbon dioxide as other plant types and makes more oxygen available.
The bamboo plant also makes use of a process known as phytoremediation to remove lead and mercury from the earth. These deadly toxins are then sealed away in the stalk of the plant where they can do no harm to humans, animals, or the environment.
Renewable Source of Energy
Some trees take as long as a full century before maturing to the point they can be used for lumber. The maximum time needed for the bamboo plant to serve this purpose is five years.
Regeneration
Not only does bamboo grow rapidly to maturity, but the plant also does not need to be uprooted when it is time for harvest. Only the stalk is cut and the plant begins to regenerate itself almost immediately. This protects the earth from the decreased soil fertility and other problems that can happen when large holes in the ground are left behind after a tree is uprooted.
Bamboo Uses
Bamboo has been used to improve the quality of life for individuals around the world for centuries. Bamboo uses include:
- Books
- Flooring
- Foods
- Clothing
- Alcohol
- Ornaments
- Musical Instruments
- Jewelry
- Furniture
The many uses of bamboo are seemingly infinite and this list only serves to give an example of the plant’s versatility.
Bamboo is a truly amazing plant that possesses a combination of qualities that may not exist elsewhere in the plant world. You can be sure the people with whom you explain your new knowledge regarding the bamboo plant will be just as amazed to learn the above-mentioned facts about that plant as you were.
