Prehistoric Planet

A history of bamboo - one of the most versatile plants on the planet!

Bamboo is the name given to a group of evergreen plants perennial that is commonly found in eastern Asia, the Americas, Australasia and the SSA. In East and South East Asia, the plant is of great economic importance, where it is used in gardens for food and as essential material for construction.

As a woody plant, it is hardy and can be found increasingly in a variety of climates - from tropical jungle environment of Chile, on mountain slopes cold of the Himalayas. In fact, only in Canada, Europe, Antarctica and West Asia where bamboo is not a native species of plants! However, it was also introduced in these regions, climates and usually in these places just as easily.

One of the main factors that explain the usefulness of bamboo on the history and in fact its success as a plant on a large scale, is the speed at which it grows. As the fastest growing plants on earth, bamboo has been measured to have a growth rate exceeding one meter per hour for short periods. Studies have record of the daily growth of 121 cm over 24 hours. Although the modern factory is a bit shorter, the heights of 250 feet are not unusual varieties of bamboo prehistoric!

Uses of bamboo

The first exposure most people in the western world bamboo is probably part of a Chinese (or other East Asian) meal! Bamboo shoots are often used in many Asian dishes, and are easily available in tranches in the form of fresh and canned most supermarkets. The sap of young shoots can also be harnessed to make a sweet wine called ulanzi.

Still on the culinary theme, bamboo addition, because of their emptiness, are often used as cooking vessels. Food can be placed in the stem and then cooked directly over the flame.

For the construction, bamboo harvested can be processed to form a very hard material and light. This can be used as support in the traditional Asian housing, scaffolding, or even as a replacement of the steel rods in reinforced concrete construction style. Steamed and flattened sections of bamboo are becoming popular as an alternative to more traditional wooden floor panels.

One of the more recent bamboo fiber is a fabric for making clothing. In this incarnation, the bamboo has been found that several desirable properties, it is very light and extremely soft, which makes it very comfortable to wear and it also removes moisture from the skin, making it ideal for the production of clothing year (ie Yogo, or jogging) or as material for clothing and accessories for babies.