One of the most versatile and useful plants in the world is the bamboo plant. Unlike trees, bamboo grows at an astonishing rate of up to 2 inches per hour. This makes it the world’s quickest growing plant. There are a few instances, the bamboo plant can grow up to 4 meters in a day.
Unlike many would believe, bamboo plants are not trees. In fact, they are evergreen grasses. These grasses fall into 91 different genre, with over 1,000 species currently known. As each species can be used for different things, this variety works to ensure the lasting survival of this plant.
This fast growing rate makes bamboo plants priceless in eastern regions such as India, China and Japan, as the bamboo plants can be used as food, wood and fuel. The fast growing rate makes this renewable resource a cornerstone of those societies. As bamboo, when properly treated, can be extremely durable and long lasting, it provides an easy solution to many problems.
One of the most common uses of bamboo is in construction. When used in construction bamboo can create stable scoffoldings, add decorative value to both the inside and outside of a home or commercial building, and it is commonly used as paneling or flooring. Some other applications of bamboo include, carpets, throw rugs, chop sticks, tables, chairs and other furniture. Bamboo is also popular in landscaping.
When bamboo plants are young, the shoots can be eaten from many different varieties. However, not all types of bamboo shoots should be eaten. {For example, some types like the giant bamboo}~For instance, the giant bamboo contains cyanide within the shoots. Cyanide can be toxic to humans.
Many types of animals thrive by eating bamboo. Most notably is the panda, which only lives on bamboo stalks and leaves.
Although bamboo serves quite a few purposes in society, bamboo plants do not come without faults. The bamboo plant, for reasons yet proven by research, tend to have mass flowering and fruiting seasons. This is most notable in the Bay of Bengal, where the bamboo plants bloom once every 30 to 35 years. This mass blooming and fruiting causes devastating issues to human populations nearby. As the fruit falls to the ground, rats swarm. As the rats swarm, they bring disease with them and cause famine. This can cause many human deaths, as there is little that can be done to stop the fruiting once it has begun. There is little that can be done, as, they cannot be simply destroyed to prevent the rat swarms.
Bamboo is a flexible plant and can thrive in many regions across the globe. They are most commonly found in East Asia, although they can grow in sub-Saharan Africa, North and South America. Bamboo does not live in Europe, North Africa, western Asia, Canada and Antarctica.
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