Bamboo Tree Root Structure

Bamboo roots grow in clumps known as root balls.

Bamboo roots have two main jobs: the first is, like all plants, to draw up water and nutrients for the bamboo to use. The second job is to help propagate the bamboo by creating new shoots for the bamboo to grow from. In bamboo forests, the root structures join together in a dense mat that can stretch for hundreds of miles, but single bamboo plants have their own unique characteristics as well.

Bamboo

Bamboo is not technically a tree. It belongs to the grass family, and shares several characteristics with grass, including how it runs some roots close to the surface of the ground. The trunk of the bamboo is a woody stem with a hollow space formed in the center of the stalk, making it lightweight. Since bamboo is lighter than most trees, it does not need an extensive root system to anchor it in the ground.

Root Ball

Bamboo roots tend to form what is called a root ball. This is a mass of roots that intertwine with each other in a tight cluster. This cluster grows a few feet underground, directly below the bamboo stem, and is usually wider than the base of the bamboo plant. Other roots climb outward from this root ball.

Rhizomes

Rhizomes are specialized roots that can develop into stalks (in bamboo, these are known as culms) of their own. They creep through the soil near the surface, seeking out favorable conditions until they find a spot to produce another culm. Rhizomes can be invasive in gardens, but in the wild they help bamboo survive.

Feeder Roots

Feeder roots are roots that extend outward from the root ball to absorb the nutrients that the bamboo needs. These roots can grow out of the ball for several feet or more, often down into deeper soil but also to the side of the root ball.

Clumping Bamboo

Clumping bamboo is a family of bamboo trees that prefers mountainous regions and is shorter than its rhizome cousin. Instead of sending out runner roots to grow new shoots, the clumping bamboo focuses all of its culms in one area right above the rhizome, producing a bush-like mass of growth. This bamboo is more popular in gardens because of the absence of runners.

References

• Bamboo Nursery: Maintenance Tips for Growing Bamboos
• American Bamboo: Graceful Grass or Jungle Giant--Growing Bamboo Indoors
• Lewis Bamboo: Brief Summary of How Bamboo Grows