Is Bamboo Wood or Grass?

Bamboo can make so many things.

Varying in height from dwarf plants of 1 foot to massive timbers stretching 100 feet into the air, bamboo serves as a food source for both humans and animals and as a construction and decorative material.

Identification

Bamboo is not a wood--it's a member of the grass family. "They are distinguished from other grasses by their woody stems, branched growth and often large size," reports the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service. Bamboo often grows taller than many trees, sometimes stretching as high as 70 feet.

Geography

Bamboo, scientifically referred to as Bambusa Schreb, is a genus of the grass family, Poaceae. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that bamboo grows wild in Florida, South Carolina and Hawaii, in addition to the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thirteen species of bamboo are known to exist in these areas.

Grass Control

Bamboo is extremely invasive, growing at a rapid pace--both upward and outward--and spreading quickly over land. Because bamboo is a grass, it tolerates occasional mowing, but property owners trying to regain control of rampaging bamboo can often manage the grass with frequent cuttings.

References

• Clemson University Cooperative Extension: Bamboo Control
• United States Department of Agriculture: Plants Profile