Bloomin' Beautiful
AT some time or another you would have sat in a “cane” seat. While doing so, you probably wouldn’t have given thought to the origin of the material used to make this product – bamboo.
Despite the fact that this is one of the fastest growing plants on Earth – up to 90cm in 24 hours in some species – it is also one of the strongest. It has a higher specific compressive strength than wood, brick or concrete and a tensile strength that rivals steel.
Believe it or not, bamboo is a grass – in fact the largest of them, belonging in the Poaceae family, as many of our lawn grasses do. It is endemic to a number of countries (including Australia) and grows best in tropical, sub-tropical or
temperate areas, depending on the species.
Bamboo shoots are eaten by humans and animals – giant and red pandas in China and Nepal; lemurs in Madagascar; and elephants in Asia and Africa.
And apparently mountain gorillas in Africa have been known to consume the fermented sap. Can you imagine a drunk gorilla?
The uses for bamboo are many and varied – clothing fibres, fishing rods, construction materials, garden stakes, kitchen cutting boards, flooring materials, ladders, wooden strips in ancient writing materials, bamboo paper, weapons, musical instruments, surfboards, snowboards, skateboards, bamboo filters for desalination, rafts, frames for mussel breeding, carved items and so on.
Did any of you “get the cane” at school? There can’t be too many other plants that have more varied uses for mankind.
In the mythology of several Asian countries, bamboo is quite revered. It is also featured as part of their culture. The plant itself is depicted in much of their artwork such as paintings, silk weaving and wood carving.
Many exquisite pieces have been made over the centuries. These can be viewed in famous museums such as those in China, Taiwan or Japan.
In the past, you would probably throw up your hands in horror if someone suggested you grow bamboo in your garden.
Bamboo grows from a rhizome, which, in some species spreads far and wide, to the detriment of all and sundry in a home garden situation.
Fortunately, today it is possible to buy a number of clumping varieties. These behave in a very civilised manner and are worthy of our consideration.
