Bamboo

This passage outlines the wonders of the bamboo plant.

Lexile Level: 890L

Categories: Animals & Nature

Bamboo is a very unusual plant. A member of the grass family, it looks more like a tree than a kind of grass. Bamboo has a thick, woody stem that, in some species, can grow to a height of more than 150 feet. Bamboo can be found in many different climates. It grows in the cold of the mountains and in tropical heat. Sometimes it grows too well. When cultivated for use as a garden plant, care must be taken to ensure that it doesn't crowd out native plants. Bamboo roots spread underground and send up new shoots. The shoots of some species of bamboo can grow to their full mature height in a single season. Some subtropical species are known to grow as much as a foot in a single day! The tender new shoots of bamboo are edible and are the main food of the Giant Panda.