Many people in New Zealand consider bamboo as a useless weed.
It is said that a weed is a plant in the wrong place. Under this definition, bamboo will be considered a weed by some homeowners! As a result of bad planting many people want to know how to get rid of bamboo from their garden. Have a look at our FAQ page.
It is also said that a weed is a plant which hasn't found its use yet. This is definitely not the case with bamboo. It is one of the most useful plants in the world. The list of uses is endless, far to long to write here. That job is better done by other websites, which you can find on our links page. Suffice it to say that bamboo is the cornerstone of the technology and culture of about half of peoples of the planet, mainly in Asia and South America. As Robert Fortune (1850 - 1855), plant collector, said: "Indeed it would be nearly as difficult to say what it is NOT used for as what it is."
Bamboo has excellent eco-credentials:
- Bamboo can be harvested sustainably on a continual basis.
- Fast growing - bamboo can be used after three years' growth.
- Bamboo is a very effective at sequestering carbon. Most carbon is locked in trees in the first few years' growth. Bamboo achieves this more effectively, then it can be harvested.
- Bamboo can absorb as much as 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year.
- Huge biomass production - depending on species this varies between 50 and 100 tons per ha per year.
- Bamboo is very good at erosion control, the rhizomes and roots binding the topsoil very effectively.
- Bambusero panels are mostly made of locally sourced bamboo.
- The rest comes from huge managed bamboo plantations in China (but not the types that pandas eat!).
In NZ its main uses would be; shelter (wind belts), erosion control and reforestation, landscaping (ornamental planting, screening, ground cover, hedging, dramatic tropical effects), animal fodder, waste water treatment, timber substitute, flag poles, timber, structural members, furniture, crafts.....
This is due to the plants versatility, which in turn derives from certain physical qualities, such as ease of working and phenomenal growth. And in today's age of overuse of scarce resources, bamboo's impeccable green credentials are ever more important.
Bamboo has a bad reputation in some circles in New Zealand. This is mainly due to the planting of the wrong species in the wrong place. Taxonomists currently put the number of different species at around 1,300. All of these have different growing habits, needs, and uses. Careful selection is the key to trouble free growth. A bit of knowledge about the different types and habits is invaluable.
Bamboos can be divided into two main groups:
Clumpers and Runners.Clumpers are very well behaved, each rhizome can give rise to one new rhizome. They generally spread very slowly, in concentric circles from the original plant. Bambusa oldhamii is an example of this type. oldhamii can be found most of the North Island, used as a shelter belts and hedges.
Runners can be very invasive. Their rhizomes can travel long distances underground, then pop up meters away from the original plant, for instance, in the neighbour's garden. This rhizome can give rise to many more rhizomes along its length. These types of bamboo, the runners, should be planted with extreme caution, in areas where they are restricted by mechanical means, such as dense plastic barriers or reinforced concrete, or even running water. DO NOT plant these types in small suburban sections, or anywhere there's a danger that they can become uncontrolled. Also, the planter may keep on top such a plant, and not allow it to spread, but the y property may be sold, and the new owners may not be so well informed, and allow it to run riot. Be careful.