Is Bamboo a Grass or a Tree?

Although the largest bamboo species resemble trees, bamboo is actually a perennial member of the Gramineae grass family. According to the Clemson University Cooperative Extension, approximately 1,200 bamboo species grow throughout the world. Some types of bamboo provide lumber for construction, while other types can be mowed as grass.

Features

• Bamboo shares characteristics of other Gramineae members: its branches grow from nodes on hollow stems or canes and its long pointed leaves emerge from sheaths. Some bamboo species spread rapidly along underground rhizomes, while others form slowly spreading clumps. The smallest varieties form ground cover, while larger species can grow up to 90 feet tall and 1 foot wide.

Benefits

• According to the University of Tennessee College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, bamboo stands provide a rapidly regenerating source of lumber. Some species of bamboo grow as much as 3 feet in one day and an entire stand can be ready for harvest 10 years after planting. Bamboo shoots and leaves provide a food source for people and animals.

Considerations

• Non-native bamboo species, which lack natural predators, are highly invasive and can quickly crowd out native vegetation. According to the University of Tennessee, bamboo lumber production requires more resources, such as fertilizers, pesticides and labor, than tree lumber production. For example, bamboo flooring panels are composed of thin slices of hollow bamboo cane, while wood panels are obtained directly from solid tree trunks.