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Bamboo Tribes: The classification of woody grasses
When you hear the phrase "bamboo tribe", you might picture some long-haired, freaky people sitting around a bonfire playing African drums and didgeridoos. Or you might imagine an even more tasteless case of cultural appropriation, full of bows and arrows and tipis...
Learning to build with bamboo: Bamboo U
Bamboo is an amazing material to work with. It has a strength-to-weight ratio superior to steel, meaning that it's super strong yet remarkably lightweight. The round, hollow poles make bamboo attractive and versatile for things like bike frames and rain gutters. And...
Exotic Bamboo Wildlife: Bamboo partridges
Ask a person what animal eats bamboo, and you'll get the same answer 99.9% of the time. Of course, it's the Giant Panda. Or maybe ask the one person in 1,000 who's been to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and they'll mention the endangered Mountain Gorilla. Far too...
Shoot to kill: Are bamboo shoots poisonous?
If you're a fan of Far Eastern cuisine, you've probably come across a dish or two that included some sliced bamboo shoots. And you lived to tell about it. Bamboo shoots are a common accent that pack a little extra nutrition and a whole lot of crunch. And most of the...
Asian bamboo plantations: The next palm oil?
Over the past couple decades, the world has woken up to the enormous potential of bamboo, and to its remarkable sustainability. Western demand for bamboo has been skyrocketing. Meanwhile, Asian farmers are doing what they can to keep up, and to cash in. But bamboo...
Bamboo in the mountains: Reaching record elevations
If you're looking for clean air and easy access to winter sports, the mountains are a great place to be. But what about your bamboo plants? Will they be too cold up there? Or is it OK to grow bamboo in the mountains? Many bamboo varieties grow perfectly well in the...