Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet - but how fast must one grow to earn this title? Some species of bamboo can grow as much as 1.5 inches an hour! This is not true of all species, but it is unbelievably remarkable, nonetheless.
The species of bamboo we use to create our paper is called Neosinocalamus Affinis. This species will grow roughly 60-90 centimetres a year until it has reached maturity, around 3-5 years later. The bamboo can then be re-harvested each year for as many as 40-70 years. If we compare this to trees, which will typically take 25-40 years to reach maturity, once harvested seldom re-grow naturally.
Neosinocalamus Affinis is a non-invasive, clump-forming bamboo. This simply means that the root structure is short and compact, and each new shoot will not venture far from the mother plant. Unlike running bamboo, which will spread far and wide, and is sometimes considered invasive. The most important feature, we think you will agree, is that this species of bamboo is not eaten by pandas.
So now you know: Bamboo is rapidly renewable, it’s sustainable, it’s amazing!
Here are some more interesting facts about bamboo:
#1 Bamboo is naturally hypo-allergenic, anti-fungal & anti-bacterial
#2 Bamboo has no natural pests so can be grown without pesticides
#3 Bamboo produces approximately 35% more oxygen than trees
#4 Bamboo can absorb 12 tonnes of CO2 each year
#5 Bamboo helps combat soil erosion
#6 Bamboo can live for over 120 years in the wild
#7 Bamboo plants of the same species flower at the same time no matter where they are in the world
#8 Bamboo can be used to make clothing, paper, instruments, furniture, food, drinks, construction, and so much more
#9 Bamboo fibres have round edges, making them soft & gentle
#10 ‘Lucky bamboo’ is not actually bamboo but a type of tropical lily – we’ve been duped!
Photo credit: Eleonora Albasi on Unsplash
