featured articles
Bamboo farming in the US in 2023
UPDATE: This article originally appeared in January 2020, last revised in February 2023. In the past few decades, the variety of bamboo products has just exploded. From socks to towels to sheets to flooring, bamboo can do pretty much anything. And thanks to a...
The Best Varieties of Bamboo for Building and Construction
With all the talk about bamboo construction and building houses from bamboo, a lot of people are asking: What are the best varieties of bamboo for building? The best bamboo species for building and construction are going to grow very tall, usually more than 40 or 50...
Where to find bamboo in California
Whether you're looking for live bamboo for the garden, or finished bamboo products for your wardrobe, you will find plenty of options in California. The Golden State's climate is favorable for growing almost anything, including many of the subtropical bamboo varieties...
Top 8 Best Bamboo Towels for 2022
When we started selling bamboo towels more than a decade ago, there weren't many brands to choose from. Back then, in 2006, BAMBU BATU was still the only all-bamboo boutique in California. But we were determined to stock our shelves with some incredible bath towels,...
Clumping bamboo for cold climates: Ornamental options
So you'd like to plant some bamboo in your garden. It's fast growing, with an exotic flair, and it can add a great deal of ornamental elegance to your greenery. But there are two things you might be worried about. First of all, you get snow in the winter, and you...
Pros and Cons of planting bamboo
The decision to plant bamboo is not something to be taken lightly. Some people love it and some people hate it. But before you jump to any irrational conclusions, let's consider all the pros and cons of planting bamboo. Bamboo is without a doubt one of the most...
On a mission to promote the prudent cultivation of bamboo by providing gardeners, farmers and policymakers with useful and accurate information about this extraordinary plant. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
Bamboo & beyond
Bambu Batu is the brainchild of Fred Hornaday, author and eco-entrepreneur. Since its inception in 2006, Bambu Batu has been dedicated to promoting bamboo for all its amazing uses. Whether you’re using bamboo to spruce up your garden or to build a zen temple, this remarkable plant has enormous ecological and economical potential. Peruse the hundreds of articles on the website, and discover for yourself the fascinating world of bamboo.
Bamboo & beyond
Since 2006, Fred Hornaday has been promoting bamboo with passion and sincerity. What began as a small eco-boutique in a charming California beach town is now an international network spanning six continents. Whether you’re planning a Japanese garden or a commercial plantation, Bambu Batu can help you understand this remarkable plant and its enormous ecological and economical potential. Peruse the website, and discover for yourself the fascinating world of bamboo.
our retail store
From 2006 until 2020, Bambu Batu provided a magical space in San Luis Obispo, offering an unsurpassed selection of bamboo and natural fiber clothing, as well as bamboo furniture and kitchenwares, and an eclectic array of spiritual items.
Today, our family has adopted the life of Digital Nomadism. But our website continues to bring you a wealth of articles about all things bamboo, including environmental insights, horticultural pointers and a slew of fun facts.
our retail store
From 2006 until 2020, Bambu Batu provided a magical space in San Luis Obispo, offering an unsurpassed selection of bamboo and natural fiber clothing, as well as bamboo furniture and kitchenwares, and an array of spiritual items.
Today, we offer our services to bamboo enthusiasts around the globe. Our website continues to deliver a wealth of articles about all things bamboo, and our one-on-one consultations provide specific guidance towards growing bamboo commercially.
BENEFITS OF BAMBOO
For thousands of years, people have been using and cultivating bamboo for food, construction, crafts and textiles. It grows faster than anything, produces more oxygen than trees, has a greater tensile strength than steel, and can be made into a fabric softer than pima cotton. At this challenging moment of climate crisis, bamboo is probably the earth’s most promising natural resource.
BENEFITS OF BAMBOO
For thousands of years, people have been using and cultivating bamboo for food, construction, crafts and textiles. It grows faster than anything, produces more oxygen than trees, has a greater tensile strength than steel, and can be made into a fabric softer than pima cotton. At this challenging moment of climate crisis, bamboo is probably the earth’s most promising natural resource.
Did you know that bamboo comprises a subfamily of grasses with more than 1,200 species, endemic to every continent but Europe and Antarctica?
learn more about bamboo
Dendrocalamus strictus: An exceptional bamboo giant
As a bamboo lover, habitual traveler, and digital nomad, there are few things I enjoy more than a long journey to an exotic bamboo grove. Travel restrictions related to COVID made these excursions pretty difficult for a while, but not impossible. In 2022 I had the...
Genus Guadua: Giant neotropical bamboo
While we consider China and the Far East as the native home of bamboo, there are also some magnificent bamboo species indigenous to the New World. Central and South America actually have some of the most majestic bamboo varieties of them all. In Colombia, you can find...
Schizostachyum brachycladum: Sacred Bali Bamboo
It's more than a mouthful for the average gardener, so you may need a silver tongue as well as a green thumb to pronounce Schizostachyum brachycladum. But don't let that discourage you. If you enjoy decorative bamboo and live in a warm enough climate, Sacred Bali...
