A lot faster than trees! The exact answer to the question is not so simple however. There are almost 1,400 known species of bamboo around the world, and some species will grow more slowly or quickly than others
It may very well be the case that a specie or group of species grow up to 3 feet a day, as many popular blogs online refer to, but other species of bamboo that exist in colder climates will certainly not grow at this rate.
Introduction
Bamboo species typically thrive in tropical climates. With the abundance of rain and sunshine which accompanies a tropical climate, it is unsurprising that bamboo grows so quickly.
The question remains however, why don’t other plants and trees in tropical climates grow at the same rate? What are the particular characteristics in the genetic makeup of bamboo which make some of its species the fastest growing plant in the world?
And the other question that will hopefully be answered by the end of this blog: do all bamboo species, all 1,400 of them, grow at a rapid pace, or do some species grow at a world record pace whilst others grow just as slowly as the rest of the trees and plants n the forest!
Bamboo is a grass and not a tree
In our article, the age old question: is bamboo a tree or grass, we explained that bamboo was actually a member of the evergreen grass family, Poaceae, and how this quality made it a perfect eco-friendly substitute for trees.
It is however also this exact quality, namely that bamboo is a grass and not a tree, which is also responsible for its explosive growth potential, and ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with other trees in natural forests.
Trees typically grow through the slow process of cell division (mitosis), whilst members of the grass family grow through cell elongation. Cell elongation is promoted by the presence of Auxin, a chemical which is released by the cells, and gives the cell walls the stretchability to grow upwards at an extremely rapid rate.
This begs the question however: why isn’t the grass in our front or back lawn as tall as the mighty bamboo culms seen in famous Chinese movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?
This is because the grass in our front lawn is limited by weak cell walls, which become increasingly thinner as they stretch out and grow upwards, stunting their overall growth, and enabling us to mow our lawns with a simple lawnmower!
Bamboo on the other hand, continuously deposits more layers to its cell walls as they stretch out and grow, enabling its underlying structure to stay strong and grow as tall as trees, but at a much faster pace.
It is theorised that bamboo has developed this quality in order to compete with its neighbouring trees in the forest for sunlight, so that future bamboo shoots grow at the same rapid rate.
Overall, the characteristics which make bamboo the fastest growing plant in the world are: Cell elongation, given bamboo is part of the grass family, and thick cell walls, strengthened by continuous layering throughout bamboo’s growth process.
Do all bamboo species grow up to three feet per day?
Bamboo has made a name for itself in the Guinness world book of records as the fastest growing plant in the world, although the record itself does not mention any specific species, “The world record for the fastest growing plant belongs to certain species of the 45 genera of bamboo, which have been found to grow at up to 91 cm (35 in) per day or at a rate of 0.00003 km/h (0.00002 mph)”
It is widely agreed upon however that the fastest growing specie of bamboo is the Phyllostachys reticulata, which has been recorded as growing more than 3 feet per day, although other species such as Phyllostachys edulis and Bambusa bambos grow at a similarly dazzling pace.
On the other hand however, some bamboo species, such as Bambusa Shibateae Kumasaca, grow only 1 foot per year!
Other factors that determine how quickly bamboo grows
Specie type is not the only factor which determines how quickly bamboo grows. Other factors include:
- Sunlight exposure – Despite bamboo being from the grass family, it still grows through photosynthesis, and therefore the more sunlight it receives, the faster and more stable it will grow
This is why tropical climates are the environment where bamboo typically thrives, growing fast and tall in a matter of months, whilst bamboo plants in colder climates can often survive, but will grow at a much slower pace
- Soil conditions – the fertile soil of a natural rainforest is best for bamboo to grow tall and healthy, and is why bamboo is a major part of natural forests in China and India.
Those of us trying to grow bamboo in our back garden, potentially to provide some cover from our nosey neighbours, may struggle with poor quality soil.
- Water – Bamboo plants love water just as much as they love sunlight, blossoming in tropical climates with monsoon rainfall, and struggling in dry environments which provide either too much heat or cold.
Summary
Certain species of bamboo, including Phyllostachys reticulata, can grow more than tree feet per day, putting bamboo officially in the guiness world book of records as the fastest growing plant in the world.
This is not the case for all bamboo species however, with some growing at much slower rates. The growth of bamboo is also widely impacted by the environment in which its grown, and will thrive in climates with an abundance of rain and sunlight, whilst struggling, but often still surviving, in dry climates with excessive heat or cold.