Bamboo

Bamboo is actually a type of grass, but it can grow as tall as a tree! It is the fastest-growing plant in the world. Some species can grow up to 35 inches in just one day. Bamboo is found mainly in Asia, South America, and Africa.

Super Plant

Bamboo is incredibly strong and flexible. It has been used for thousands of years to build houses, bridges, and furniture. Bamboo releases 35 percent more oxygen than trees of the same size. It also grows back quickly after being cut, making it very sustainable.

A map showing where bamboo grows around the world.
A map showing where bamboo grows around the world. (radcyberzine.com / Wikimedia Commons)

Bamboo and Animals

Giant pandas eat almost nothing but bamboo. Many other animals also depend on bamboo forests. Bamboo flowers are rare and mysterious. Some species only flower once every 60 to 120 years, and all bamboo of that species flowers at the same time around the world!

Fun Facts

  • Bamboo can grow up to 35 inches in a single day.
  • It is stronger than steel by weight.
  • Some bamboo species flower only once every 120 years.

Did You Know?

Bamboo is so strong that it has been used to build scaffolding for skyscrapers in Asia. It can bend without breaking in typhoon winds!