Bamboo in history
Flexible and resistant, bamboo can be admired in the gardens of the West for over a century: elegant and refined, it is distinguished from other plants by its vigorous trunk capable of reaching very high heights (even over 40 meters). If, on the one hand, bamboo embodies refinement and plant beauty, on the other the plant is also mentioned in history for its "piercing" properties: some texts narrate gruesome uses of bamboo as an instrument of torture ideal for torturing and tormenting the prisoners in the second world war.
The purpose of this examination is certainly not to describe the tortures of war castigated with bamboo: we will dwell, rather, in its botanical description and in its use in different areas.
Botanical description
In the nomenclature, it is not possible to attribute a botanical binomial to bamboo, given the countless varieties: in fact, over 1, 000 species are listed, divided into 68 different genera. However, bamboo belongs to the Poaceae family (subfamily Bambusoideae). We are dealing with native plants of the wet, tropical and subtropical areas of Asia and America, currently spread in Australia and some parts of Africa; in Europe, spontaneous bamboo growth has not been observed.
The bamboos are very lush evergreen plants, with particularly fast growth; just think, in fact, that the height of the bamboo can increase by one meter from one day to the next. [taken from wikipedia]
The peculiarity of bamboo refers to the stem: it is a single culm (so called the stem of the grasses), woody, particularly resistant and at the same time flexible. Characterized by peculiar cylindrical nodes and hollow internodes, the stem of the bamboo ends with thin, oblong lance-shaped leaves, very light and shiny green.
The bamboo roots, which are common to all species due to the particular rhizomatous modification, present a variable development: in fact, if the roots of some varieties develop in a rather contained way, others dig very deep into the ground, distancing themselves very much from the point of origin.
Bamboo flowers are comparable to asparagus, but the chances of flowering are minimal. The rare opportunity to appreciate the blossoming of bamboo flowers is such that, around them, numerous legends and curiosities, clearly unfounded, were built: it is believed that during the opening of the flower, the same plant is destined to succumb, or it is believed that the the moment of blossoming of the flower in a bamboo is an event that occurs simultaneously in all the bamboo of the area.
Development of Bamboo
It is good to open a short parenthesis to analyze the dual mode of development of the bamboo: some bamboo are creeping, others are bushy. The bamboos are called "creeping" when they grow and branch out along the entire surface they have: the rhizomes grow horizontally, clearly penetrating the soil. The second category is represented instead by cespitose bamboo, so called because they develop in the form of bushes (or tufts) more or less thick. In this case, the rhizomes initially show a horizontal growth, to subsequently change and develop in the opposite direction (vertically).
Loans
The distinguishable characteristics of bamboo - strength, suppleness and lightness - have favored a very thriving trade, ranging from craftsmanship to textiles, from the building sector to the ornamental sector, from phytotherapy to food. The abnormal diversity of bamboo species, combined with the ease of adaptation to new lands, allow these plants to be used for multiple uses. The bamboos lend themselves well to the realization of architectural works of great effect: for example, they are used to create evergreen barriers in the gardens, palisades and "erased" windbreak plants. The particular shape, elegant and refined, ensures an exotic style in western gardens, just as the leaves hide and at the same time embellish the bare spaces of lawns and gardens.
The thinner stems are used to make furniture or umbrellas, others still serve as rudimentary water ducts. The bamboo fibers are quite long: they have a variable extension from 1.5 to 3.2 mm, therefore they are an excellent alternative for the production of paper and fabrics.
Bamboo shoots are a good food, so the custom of this food is quite widespread, particularly in Japan and China.
The drums can also be used for sugar extraction.
Phytotherapy properties
The facets of bamboo are numerous: this plant is also considered in the phytotherapy field. The leaves are exploited for the emmenagogue, anthelmintic, antispasmodic and potentially aphrodisiac virtues, while the roots are used for astringent and refreshing properties. The sprouts, in addition to being appreciated in the culinary field, are also used to promote digestion, such as carminatives and antiseptics. [taken from Dizionario ragionato of herbal medicine and phytotherapy, by A. Bruni, M. Nicoletti]
The juice of some species of bamboo is rich in silica, a useful natural remedy for cooling symptoms and congestion on the respiratory tract (black bamboo).
Bamboo in brief, summary of bamboo properties »
