I was debating whether this post really belonged to my First Touch of Spring series or not and ultimately decided that it didn't really showcase the coming of spring, so to take a break from that, I introduce to you...
Can you tell what this plant is?
Here's a close-up!
If you couldn't tell from the pictures (and you weren't paying attention to the title), tonight's plant is... bamboo!
These past few weeks in my Intro to Ethnobotany class, we were having class presentations, in which every person had to choose a plant to research on. Lucky for me, a few days after I took these photos and decided to feature bamboo in my next post, someone in my class did a presentation on bamboo. Besides being associated with cute and cuddly pandas as their main food source, I feel like not much more is thought of when it comes to bamboo. Of course, I like pandas as much as the next person (perhaps even more), but I think that it would be nice to shed some light on bamboo besides being the staple diet of the beloved panda. Some of the things I already knew, but I also found out a lot from the presentation. Also, because much of the information from this post is derived from either my own knowledge or from the presentation, I won't be able to cite sources for any interested in finding out more. However, I am sure that the information should be easily and readily accessible online.
Common Name: Bamboo
Tribe: Bambuseae
Native to: East Asia, Australia, Africa
Bamboo are a tribe of flowering perennial evergreen in the grass family, and there are over one thousand species of them. Like many grasses, they have a high reproductive rate and are one of the fastest growing plants in the world at a rate of three to ten centimeters per day. They can be anywhere from a few inches tall to tree height.
In terms of usage, the sturdiness of bamboo makes it perfect for a variety of purposes. It is often used in construction and harvested when sugar levels in the stalks are lowest--otherwise pests would be drawn to them. A process known as leeching is used in order to remove the sap, to prevent damage to the harvested stalks. Besides being used for construction, these plants are also used for chopsticks, furniture, instruments, textiles, and paper. It is especially economical for China to harvest bamboo, as it is native to China, easy to harvest, and fast growing. Bamboo are also boiled for culinary purposes, used in Chinese medicine, and the sap inhaled for respiratory issues.
Besides having practical uses, bamboo are also important symbolically. In China, for example, they are a symbol of life and longevity, as well as representative of the ideal gentleman: not necessarily physically strong, but mentally strong, upright, and persevering. Along with the orchid, chrysanthemum, and plum blossom, the bamboo is considered the Four Gentleman, or the Four Noble Ones, plants which are used often in traditional painting, in which each represents a different season (orchid spring, chrysanthemum autumn, bamboo summer, and plum blossom winter).
In Japan, these plants were thought to keep away evil spirits and so were grown around shrines and temples to protect them. In India, bamboo is a symbol of friendship, while in the Philippines and Malaysia, bamboo has been linked to several creation stories as the source of the first man and woman.
Also besides being eaten by pandas, it can also be consumed by humans. I've tried it before and personally, I was not much a fan of its taste, but my sister quite enjoyed it. If you're curious about the taste, I am not too sure how readily available they are in local supermarkets, so if that search comes up empty, then you should make a trip to your nearest Asian supermarket. I hope this has been an interesting and insightful read for all. Until next time, good night!
EDIT: Sorry guys, I found this picture online and just couldn't resist; this little guy was just too adorable, and the brushwork on this piece, though simple, is pretty amazing. Check out more of Cindy Pon's work at cindypon.com.
Source: Cindy Pon
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