How long does bamboo take to root? Introduction to propagation methods
There are many varieties of bamboo, all belonging to the perennial grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, concentrated in subtropical and tropical regions. It grows very quickly, and the bamboo shoots of some varieties are edible. Below, let us find out how long its roots take to grow.
I. Basic introduction
Bamboo generally grows in patches through underground creeping rhizomes. It can reproduce by flowering and setting seed, and its seeds are also called bamboo rice. Bamboo's stems are slender and upright, and it stays green all year round, making it very popular with people.
Among bamboos, the dwarf varieties have stems 10 cm to 15 cm tall, while large varieties can reach 40 m or even taller. It grows extremely fast, especially after rain, and can take root in about 15 days after planting.
The leaves are sword-shaped. In its lifetime it flowers only once and sets seed only once. Most varieties must grow for 12 to 120 years before flowering and setting seed, which is relatively rare.
In autumn and winter, when the bamboo buds have not yet emerged from the ground, those dug out at this time are called winter shoots. In spring, the soil where the bamboo buds grow is relatively dry; if a soaking rain falls at this time, the spring shoots will emerge from the ground at a rapid speed.
II. The environment in which bamboo grows
1. Climate. Most bamboos prefer a humid, warm climate, so they grow more abundantly in tropical, temperate and subtropical regions. A small number of bamboo varieties grow in cold temperate and temperate regions. In the southern subtropical and Southeast Asian tropical regions, affected by the convergence of the Indian Ocean monsoon and the Pacific monsoon, the environmental heat is relatively stable and rainfall is abundant, making it an ideal ecological environment for bamboo growth.
2. Soil. To plant bamboo, you need to choose fertile, deep soil containing mineral elements.
3. Water. Planting bamboo requires not only sufficient water but also good drainage.
III. Bamboo propagation methods
1. Burying rhizome for seedling raising. This is suitable for mixed and scattered bamboo species. The method is to dig out robust growing rhizomes, then keep the rhizome buds and rhizome roots, retaining as much native soil as possible, then cut the bamboo rhizome into 50 cm to 60 cm sections and bury them flat in the seedbed, covering them back with 5 to 8 cm of soil. At this stage, you must keep the seedbed moist.
At the same time, drainage must also be handled well, especially in rainy weather when water accumulates heavily; be sure to remove weeds promptly. The suitable time for burying rhizomes is one month before the bamboo shoots are about to emerge in early spring. With good management, after one year each bamboo rhizome can grow 2 to 3 bamboo seedlings.
2. Burying culm for seedling raising. This is suitable for planting among clumping bamboos. The method is to select robust 2-year-old bamboo culms, then keep 1 branch node on the branch of each node of the culm, cut off the tip of the culm, cut a notch every 1 to 2 nodes, and then soak the culm in clean water. After soaking for a certain period, place the culm on the seedbed with the cut side facing up, then cover it back with 5 to 10 cm of soil.
3. Burying nodes for seedling raising. This method is also suitable for clumping bamboo species, especially those varieties that have dormant buds at the base of the side branches, such as green skin bamboo, diaosizhu, and so on. This propagation method is to cut the culm into sections node by node or every 2 nodes, then transplant and bury them in the seedbed, cover them back with soil, and just keep the soil moist.
4. Side branch seedling raising. This method is likewise suitable for clumping bamboo species. The method is to select bamboo that has grown for two years, then remove the side branches from the culm nodes, cut off the main leaves and branch tips, keeping 5 to 8 nodes, and be careful to protect the buds at their base. Then insert the side branches into the seedbed and expose the upper part of the branches and leaves, then spray water frequently to keep the soil moist.
Bamboo Bambusoideae Bamboo illustrated guide: how to grow bamboo / how to propagate bamboo
Bamboo profileBamboo Bambusoideae
Alias: bamboo
Classification: perennial herbaceous flower
Family and genus: Plantae, Angiosperms, Monocotyledoneae, Poales, Poaceae, Bambusa
Full bloom period: does not flower
Bamboo is a giant grass and a plant of the grass family. It is an evergreen (a few bamboo species shed leaves in the dry season) shallow-rooted plant, and its stem is generally cylindrical with nodes; however, one type, square bamboo, has a square culm. Bamboo is one of the important forest resources, with characteristics such as wide distribution, fast growth, many uses, and high ecological and economic value, and it is praised as the "green gold mine." Bamboo, also known as zhu, is a perennial grass plant with a woody stem and a branch of the grass family. Its scientific name is Bambusoideae (Bambusaceae or Bamboo), distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, East Asia, ...
Bamboo cultivation methods and precautions, introduction to bamboo
Bamboo is a giant grass and a plant of the grass family. It is an evergreen (a few bamboo species shed leaves in the dry season) shallow-rooted plant, and its stem is generally cylindrical with nodes; however, one type, square bamboo, has a square culm. Bamboo is one of the important forest resources, with characteristics such as wide distribution, fast growth, many uses, and high ecological and economic value, and it is praised as the "green gold mine."
Bamboo, also known as zhu, is a perennial grass plant with a woody stem and a branch of the grass family. Its scientific name is Bambusoideae (Bambusaceae or Bamboo). It is distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, with the densest distribution in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the islands of the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. There are many kinds; some are low and grass-like, while others are as tall as big trees, and they grow rapidly. They usually grow in patches through underground creeping rhizomes, and can also reproduce by flowering and setting seed; the seeds are called bamboo rice. The bamboo shoots of some species are edible. Bamboo branches and culms are upright and slender, green through all four seasons, and proud in frost and rain, and are greatly loved by Chinese people. Together with plum, orchid, and chrysanthemum they are called the Four Gentlemen, and together with plum and pine they are called the Three Friends of Winter. Through the ages, many literati and poets have loved bamboo and praised it.
Morphological characteristics of bamboo
Bamboo is a tall tree-like grass plant. More than 70 genera and over 1,000 species have been recorded, but many of them are synonyms. Bamboo is a tall, fast-growing grass plant with a woody stem. It is distributed from tropical and subtropical to warm temperate regions. It is most densely distributed and most diverse in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the islands of the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. The aboveground stem of bamboo is woody and hollow (what we call the culm), and it grows in clusters from the underground stem (rhizome).
The smallest bamboo species has culms 10 to 15 cm tall, and the largest bamboo species has culms over 40 m tall. Mature bamboo produces horizontal branches, the leaves are sword-shaped and have petioles, and the leaves of young plants grow directly from the stem. Although the culms of some species grow rapidly (0.3 m per day), most species flower and set seed only after growing for 12 to 120 years. Bamboo flowers and sets seed only once in its life.
The underground stem of bamboo (commonly called the bamboo rhizome) grows horizontally, is slightly hollow in the middle, and also has nodes that are numerous and dense, with many fibrous roots and buds growing on the nodes. Some buds develop into bamboo shoots that push out of the ground and grow into bamboo, while other buds do not emerge from the ground but grow horizontally and develop into new underground stems. Therefore, bamboo always grows in patches and groves. Tender bamboo rhizomes and bamboo shoots are edible.
In autumn and winter, when the bamboo buds have not yet emerged from the ground, those dug out at this time are called winter shoots; in spring, when the bamboo shoots emerge from the ground they are called spring shoots. Winter shoots and spring shoots are both common foods in Chinese cuisine. In spring, the bamboo buds wait in the dry soil for spring rain; if a rain falls, the spring shoots will emerge from the ground at a very fast speed.
Although people often call bamboo a tree, it is a herbaceous plant with undeveloped xylem. Bamboo leaves are narrowly lanceolate, 7.5-16 cm long and 1-2 cm wide, with a gradually pointed tip and a blunt base, and a petiole about 5 mm long; one side of the margin is relatively smooth while the other side is rough with small serrations; parallel veins, 6-8 pairs of secondary veins, and very conspicuous small transverse veins; the leaf surface is dark green and hairless, the underside is lighter in color and has slight hairs at the base; the texture is thin and rather brittle. Bamboo shoots are 10 to 30 cm long, and the whole body of an adult bamboo is emerald green with generally 10 to 15 nodes.
Most bamboos have underground rhizomes with obvious nodes, and buds grow at each node. The buds of each node of the underground stem can sprout into underground horizontal bamboo rhizomes or aboveground culms. The buds on the culm nodes often form branches at each node. The leaves on the branches are vegetative leaves, lanceolate, with short petioles.
Bamboo rhizomes. In some areas there are also clumping bamboos whose underground stems form multi-noded false rhizomes, with no buds or roots on the nodes, and the terminal bud emerges from the soil to form a culm, with the whole plant growing and distributed in clumps, typically such as Phoenix-tail bamboo, Ci bamboo, Ma bamboo, and Hedge bamboo. They generally grow in areas with relatively sufficient water and heat conditions.
Bamboo is also the fastest-growing plant in the world. The hollow aboveground stems of some bamboos can grow 40 cm per day, and after fully growing they can reach a height of 35-40 m. The reason bamboo grows quickly is that its stems are divided into nodes, so while other plants have only the apical meristem growing, bamboo grows at every node simultaneously. However, as bamboo continues to grow, the sheath wrapping the outside of the bamboo node falls off, and the height of the bamboo stops increasing, but the internal tissue growth and filling still continue. It is widely distributed and easy to keep alive.
Bamboo differs greatly from ordinary trees. The aboveground part of bamboo is composed of noded culms, branches, and leaves. The base of the culm connects to the underground stem, and the underground stem is also divided into nodes. The slender roots on the nodes of the underground stem, called fibrous roots, are the true roots. The tensile strength and load-bearing capacity of bamboo are 1-3 times those of ordinary trees, and it has very good elasticity, making it a good building material. As early as the Han Dynasty in China, bamboo began to be used as a papermaking raw material; moso bamboo, because of its unique fine and even grain and hard texture, is very suitable for producing flooring and other decorative boards. Bamboo can of course also be made into the bamboo cutting boards, bamboo mats, bamboo beds, bamboo cabinets, bamboo chairs, and so on that we commonly use. In addition, bamboo can also be used to make musical instruments, such as the sheng, guan, and xiao; bamboo woven handicrafts are even more dazzling to the eye and highly ornamental. Crisp, sweet bamboo shoots can also be eaten, and bamboo can also be used as medicine. Among the more than 1,200 kinds of bamboo, moso bamboo is one of the excellent timber bamboo species; its texture is hard, and its surface grain is elegant and beautiful, making it the best decorative material of the new century.
Bamboos grow quickly; some can grow more than one meter within a single day, and in just two or three months they can fully develop, after which they no longer grow taller or thicker and keep this size until they die. The life cycle of bamboo is not long, only a few years. When the bamboo grows old, it will flower and then die, in order to eliminate the old bamboo and preserve new plants, promoting the growth vitality of the bamboo grove, but bamboos often flower and die together.
Ecological habits of bamboo
The suitable or relatively suitable climate for bamboos has an annual average temperature of 12 to 22°C, an average January temperature of 5 to 10°C, and an extreme minimum temperature of -20°C; annual precipitation of 1000 to 2000 mm, and an annual average relative humidity of 65% to 82%. North China, however, has a typical continental climate, with severe cold in winter and extreme heat in summer. Although there is more rainfall in July and August, the annual average precipitation is only 500 to 600 mm, so it is not an ideal climate condition for bamboo growth. Therefore, relatively cold-resistant scattered bamboo varieties should be selected, such as Huangcao bamboo, JINXIANGYU bamboo, Huanggan Jing bamboo, black bamboo, and early garden bamboo. The above varieties not only have strong cold resistance, but also have many successful experiences in northern garden construction that can be referenced.
Bamboo is a perennial plant that flowers once. Bamboo flowering is a normal natural phenomenon and is part of the process of bamboo seed reproduction. The people of ancient China observed this phenomenon long ago. In the Classic of Mountains and Seas from more than 2,000 years ago, there is the record: "When bamboo produces flowers, that year it withers." In the Bamboo Manual written by Dai Kai of the Jin Dynasty, it is recorded: "The medicine must be sixty, and again six years.
" Its annotation is: "Bamboo at sixty years also changes roots; when it changes roots it then bears fruit and dies." However, bamboo mainly reproduces asexually, sending up shoots from the underground bamboo rhizome every spring, which then develop into new bamboo. The bamboo rhizome is not its root, but an underground stem. Underground stems can be divided into three types: the monopodial type of underground stem can continue to grow, with buds borne on both sides, and the lateral buds develop into shoots; in the sympodial type, the terminal bud develops into a shoot, and the lateral buds produce new underground stems that connect to form a sympodium, and the underground stems produce bamboo culms densely clustered. The Yuzhu and Huajuzhu that giant pandas like to eat belong to this category; in addition, there is also a mixed type, which is a hybrid of the above two. The sexual reproduction of bamboo is like that of other flowering plants: it first flowers, then sets seed, completing the entire growth cycle. The flowering cycle of bamboo also has three types depending on the bamboo species: a few bamboos can flower every year, and after flowering the culms do not die and can still send out rhizomes and grow shoots; most bamboos flower only once in the entire growth process, and at a certain cycle ranging from 40 to 80 years. After flowering, the culms and leaves wither and yellow, dying in patches, and the underground stems gradually turn black and lose their sprouting ability. The seeds formed, the so-called bamboo rice, sprout and grow after being sown, and only then can they grow into new bamboo. Arrow bamboo and Huajuzhu belong to this type; there is also a type that flowers sporadically at irregular intervals, and after flowering the bamboo grove does not die, such as Ci bamboo, which is one of them.
Huajuzhu, large arrow bamboo, and others all belong to the type that flowers in patches at regular intervals. The flowering interval of this type of bamboo is very long, generally 50-60 years; some even flower only once in nearly a hundred years. However, no matter which year the culms grow, as long as the age of the bamboo rhizome is the same or similar, then the flowering time will be roughly the same. Even if the ecological environment differs greatly, such as sunny slope or shady slope, steep slope or gentle slope, different soils, and different altitudes, they can all flower at the same time.
Bamboo cultivation techniques: selecting suitable varieties
The suitable or relatively suitable climate for bamboos has an annual average temperature of 12 to 22°C, an average January temperature of 5 to 10°C, and an extreme minimum temperature of -20°C; annual precipitation of 1000 to 2000 mm, and an annual average relative humidity of 65% to 82%. North China, however, has a typical continental climate, with severe cold in winter and extreme heat in summer. Although there is more rainfall in July and August, the annual average precipitation is only 500 to 600 mm, so it is not an ideal climate condition for bamboo growth. Therefore, relatively cold-resistant scattered bamboo varieties should be selected, such as Huangcao bamboo, JINXIANGYU bamboo, Huanggan Jing bamboo, black bamboo, and early garden bamboo. The above varieties not only have strong cold resistance, but also have many successful experiences in northern garden construction that can be referenced.
Scientific planting
Because bamboos like a warm and humid climate, a sheltered, sunny location should be chosen when planting, such as the sunny side of a rockery, building, or hill.
The soil at the planting site is best as loam or sandy loam. If the soil is too clayey or pure sand, soil improvement should be carried out. On the basis of applying sufficient base fertilizer (mainly organic fertilizer, about 4 cubic meters per mu), plow and turn the soil to a depth of no less than 40 cm.
Bamboos planted in northern China are mostly scattered bamboos, and the method of transplanting bamboo or transplanting rhizomes is generally used. No matter which method is used, you must choose 1- to 2-year-old bamboo rhizomes that are very robust, free of pests and diseases, fresh yellow in color, and with plump bamboo buds. When transplanting bamboo, you must also bring the underground bamboo rhizome, otherwise it will be difficult to survive.
The best planting season is late spring and early summer. If it is too early, drought and little rain, dry climate, and wind will affect survival; if planting is too late, the bamboo has entered its rapid growth period, and too much root damage is also unfavorable for survival. If local seedling sources are used, transplanting can also be done in the rainy summer, but a soil ball must be kept.
The planting depth should be determined according to the clayeyness of the soil, generally 20 to 25 cm. If too deep, bamboo shoots have difficulty breaking through the soil; if too shallow, the bamboo shoots will be thin and weak after emerging. According to the length of the bamboo rhizome (generally 40 to 50 cm), dig a long strip hole, bury the bamboo rhizome, cover with soil and firm it, then water thoroughly.
Management after planting
Bamboo likes moisture. After planting, the soil must be kept moist frequently, especially during the shoot emergence period or the young bamboo growth period, when watering must be timely. When transplanting and planting, water the aboveground plants promptly; where conditions permit, spray water on the bamboo leaves before 9 a.m. and after 3 p.m. every day, and a 30% to 50% shade net can also be used for shading. If planting on flat ground, windbreaks need to be set up on the northwest, north, and northeast sides.
When transplanting and planting bamboo, there is a "false death phenomenon." Under improper management, the bamboo leaves may partially or completely fall off. But as long as the branches and stems remain fresh green and attention is paid to moisture retention, they can all re-sprout and unfold leaves.
Strengthen the prevention and control of pests and diseases. Bamboo aphids are one of the main pests harming bamboo, and the annual peak occurrence in the north is mostly from August to October. They can be killed by spraying 1000-fold solutions of 50% zinc phoxim and 50% fenitrothion. In addition, there is harm from pests such as whitefly, all of which must be controlled in a timely manner. Bamboo leaf sooty mold is one of the bamboo leaf diseases, mostly caused by bamboo insects, and it is extremely easy to occur under high temperature and high humidity with poor ventilation. In addition to strengthening bamboo garden management and improving poor environmental conditions, eliminating bamboo aphids is the fundamental measure for controlling sooty mold.
Bamboo cultivation methods
Bamboo growth has its particularity: it relies on the shoot buds on the underground stem (commonly called the bamboo rhizome) to develop into bamboo shoots, and then grow into new bamboo. New bamboo can complete height and diameter growth within 1-4 months, and afterward no longer increases. Bamboo sends up shoots and grows into bamboo every year. Therefore, the planting techniques for ornamental bamboo also differ from other nursery stock. The planting methods for early garden bamboo, hard bamboo, JINXIANGYU bamboo, Huangcao bamboo, Huanggan Jing bamboo, black bamboo, indocalamus, and other bamboos are broadly the same.
I.Planting time
1. Scattered bamboo
Scattered bamboo usually begins to send up shoots from March to May in spring, and most bamboo species basically complete height growth in June and send out branches and grow leaves, then grow a large number of rhizomes from August to September. After entering November, as the temperature drops, physiological activity gradually slows. By February of the following year, along with the rise in temperature, physiological activity gradually resumes. According to this growth rhythm, the ideal time to plant scattered bamboo should be from October to February of the following year, with the "little Indian summer" of October being the best. When planting bamboo from November to December in winter, although there is little rain and the weather is dry, the physiological activity of the bamboo is weak at this time and transpiration is not strong, so the survival rate of planted bamboo is also relatively high. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, bamboo transplanting and afforestation can be carried out in normal years during the plum rain season. But it is only suitable for short-distance transplanting, and only with a root ball with soil can a high survival rate be guaranteed. Because winters in northern regions are severely cold, it is suitable to plant bamboo in October in autumn and February in early spring. It is worth noting that it is not suitable to plant bamboo during the shoot emergence period from March to May in spring. "There is no fixed time for planting bamboo; transplant it after rain." As long as the quality of the mother bamboo is guaranteed, management is careful, and water balance is maintained, it can be planted at other times of the year except during the hot sanfu days and the severe cold sanjiu days. If container bamboo seedlings are used, bamboo can be planted in all four seasons in both north and south, ensuring survival.
2. Clumping bamboo
Generally, the culms sprout from March to May, and shoots are sent up from June to August, and clumping bamboo is not resistant to severe cold. Therefore, clumping bamboo is best planted in spring in February, before the bamboo buds have sprouted and the bamboo sap begins to flow. Likewise, if management conditions are good or container bamboo seedlings are used, bamboo can also be planted in all four seasons.
3. Mixed bamboo
The growth and development rhythm of mixed bamboo lies between scattered bamboo and clumping bamboo. It sends up shoots and grows into bamboo from May to July, so the suitable planting season is autumn and winter from October to December and spring from February to March.
II.Preparation of the planting site
Bamboo growth requires a soil layer 50-100 cm deep (50 cm is enough for small- and medium-diameter bamboo; large-diameter bamboo such as moso bamboo requires 80-100 cm), fertile, moist, sandy loam with good drainage and aeration, slightly acidic or neutral, with a pH of 4.5-7.0 being suitable, and a groundwater level below 1 m (moso bamboo) or below 50 cm (small- and medium-diameter bamboo). Soil preparation is an important step before bamboo planting, and whether the soil preparation is good or bad directly affects the quality of bamboo planting and the speed of grove formation. The best soil preparation method is full soil preparation, that is, fully plowing and turning the planting site to a depth of 30 cm, and removing stones, weeds, tree roots, and other debris from the soil. If the soil is too clayey, saline-alkaline, or has too much construction waste, methods such as applying more organic fertilizer, replacing soil, or filling with outside soil should be used for improvement. After the soil is prepared, planting holes can be dug. The density and specifications of the planting holes are determined specifically according to different bamboo species, bamboo seedling specifications, and project requirements. In landscaping projects, generally 3-4 small- and medium-diameter bamboos per square meter, with a plant spacing of 50-60 cm, and planting holes with a length and width of 40 cm each and a depth of 30 cm.
III.Requirements for mother bamboo
The quality of the mother bamboo has a great influence on the quality of bamboo planting. High-quality mother bamboo is easy to survive and form a grove after planting, while inferior mother bamboo is not easy to plant successfully or difficult to form a grove. The quality of mother bamboo is mainly reflected in age, thickness, growth vigor, and soil ball size.
1 Mother bamboo age: it is best to use current-year to 2-year-old bamboo. This is because the bamboo rhizome connected to current-year to 2-year-old mother bamboo is generally at the vigorous age stage, with plump rhizome buds and sound rhizome roots, so it is easy to plant successfully and grow new bamboo and new rhizomes, and it forms a grove relatively quickly. Old bamboo (over 3 years old) is not suitable as mother bamboo.
2 Mother bamboo thickness: for medium-diameter bamboo (such as Buzhu types and early garden bamboo), a diameter at breast height of 2-3 cm is suitable; for small-diameter bamboo (such as black bamboo, JINXIANGYU bamboo, and spotted bamboo), a diameter at breast height of 1-2 cm is suitable.
3 The mother bamboo should preferably be robust in growth, with relatively low branching, lush branches and leaves, and no pests, diseases, or signs of flowering.
4 The soil ball diameter is preferably 25-30 cm. If the soil ball is too small, the mother bamboo easily loses too much water, reducing survival, and the bamboo rhizome is short with few roots, so grove formation is slow. If the soil ball is too large, it is inconvenient to transport. Small- and medium-sized ornamental bamboos usually grow densely, so several stems can be dug up together as one "plant" of mother bamboo. The specific requirements are: scattered bamboo 1-2 stems per plant, mixed bamboo 2-4 stems per plant, and clumping bamboo can be divided into 3-5 stems per clump after being dug up. After the mother bamboo is dug up, the bamboo tip should generally be cut off, 4-5 whorls of branches retained, and overly dense branches and leaves pruned to reduce water evaporation and increase the planting survival rate. When mother bamboo is transported over long distances, if the soil ball is loose, it must be wrapped, using straw, woven bags, and so on to wrap the soil ball well. After loading it onto the vehicle, first spray a small amount of water on the bamboo leaves, then fully cover the bamboo with a tarpaulin to prevent wind and reduce water loss. Short-distance transport of mother bamboo does not require wrapping, but damage to rhizome buds and "screws" and shaking off of native soil must be prevented.
IV.Planting of mother bamboo
After the mother bamboo is transported to the planting site, it should be planted immediately. Bamboo should be planted shallowly, not deeply; the surface of the mother bamboo root ball being 3-5 cm lower than the surface of the planting hole is enough. First, mix topsoil or organic fertilizer with topsoil and backfill it into the planting hole, generally 10 cm thick. Then remove the wrapping from the mother bamboo root ball, place the mother bamboo into the hole, keep the root ball surface parallel to the ground surface, let the rhizome roots spread out and the lower part closely contact the soil, then first fill with topsoil, then with subsoil, pick out stones, tree roots, and other debris, and firm it layer by layer so that the root system and soil are closely connected.
During the process of filling soil and firming it, be careful not to damage the rhizome buds. Then water thoroughly with "root-setting water" to further bring roots and soil into close contact. After the water has completely seeped into the soil, cover with a layer of loose soil and pile it into a steamed bun shape at the base of the culm. Finally, a layer of straw can be placed over the steamed-bun-shaped soil mound to prevent water evaporation from the planting hole. If the mother bamboo is tall or the location is windy, support frames need to be added to prevent the wind from shaking the culm so that roots and soil cannot closely connect and the survival rate is reduced.
Potted cultivation and care of bamboo
Bamboo is upright and elegant, with varied branches and leaves, and evergreen through the four seasons. It is a traditional courtyard ornamental plant in China. Together with plum, orchid, and chrysanthemum it is called the "Four Gentlemen." The Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo said: "I would rather eat without meat than live without bamboo." Today, bamboo is also regarded by people as an excellent product for decorating the home and environment. Northerners especially love bamboo, but because outdoor planting cannot survive due to excessively low winter temperatures, placing potted bamboo indoors for viewing is a better way.
Ornamental potted bamboo species
Ornamental potted bamboo is best with small- and medium-sized and ground-cover bamboos that have peculiar culm shapes, beautiful branches and leaves, and colored culms and leaves, including several major categories such as ornamental culm shape, culm color, leaf color, and plant form. Some excellent ornamental potted bamboo species are categorized as follows:
1. Ornamental culm shape category
1 Luohan bamboo (Renmian bamboo) Ph.aurea. Several nodes at the base or below the middle of the culm are abnormally shortened, and the internodes are swollen or constricted, shaped like a human face;
2 Small Buddha-belly bamboo B.ventricosa. The culms are short and clumping, and the internodes are shortened and swollen, shaped like a "Buddha's belly";
3 Large Buddha-belly bamboo B.vulgaris cv.Wamin. The culms are relatively large, up to 8 cm in diameter, and the internodes of the culms and branches are shortened and swollen in a Buddha-belly shape;
4 Square bamboo Ch.quadrangularis. The basal culms are square, and the lower part of the culm is square while the upper part is round;
5 Qiong bamboo Q.tumidinoda. The culm rings are strongly raised like two discs fastened together, shaped like abacus beads.
2. Ornamental culm color category
1 Black bamboo (ink bamboo) Ph.nigra. New culms are green and gradually turn purple-black in autumn and winter of the same year;
2 Spotted bamboo (Xiangfei bamboo) Ph.bambusoides f.lacrima-deae. The culms are green with purple-black patches and spots;
3 Jinming bamboo Ph.bambusoides var.castillonis. The culms and branches are yellow, the longitudinal grooves are bright green, the bamboo leaves are dark green, and the branches spread out;
4 Yellow-culm black Buzhu Ph.vivax f.aureocalis. The culm diameter is 3 to 5 cm, and the culms are a unique golden yellow, with irregular dark green stripes of varying thickness below the middle;
5 Yellow-striped bamboo Ph.vivax f.huanwenzhu. The culms are green, and the longitudinal groove on one side of the branch is golden yellow. In addition, there are also JINXIANGYU bamboo Ph.aureosulcata f.spectabilis (culms golden yellow, grooves green), Huanggan Jing bamboo Ph.aureosulcata f.aureocaulis (culms entirely golden yellow), Huangcao Shilv bamboo Ph.arcana f.luteosulcata (culms green, longitudinal grooves yellow), and Golden Bitter bamboo B.vulgaris cv.Vittata (large clumping bamboo, culms and branches golden yellow with intermittent green longitudinal stripes), and so on.
3. Ornamental leaf color category
1 White-striped Yin-Yang bamboo Hi.tranguillans f.shiroshima. The culms are obvious, 1.5 m tall, the leaves are broad and large, with relatively wide yellow stripes interspersed, native to Japan;
2 Philo white bamboo Sasa fortunei. A ground-cover bamboo, culms 25 cm tall, leaves green with obvious broad white or pale yellow stripes;
3 Yellow-striped King Kong bamboo Pl.kongosanensis f.aureostriaus. A ground-cover bamboo, culms 30 cm tall, leaves relatively broad and large, green, with irregular yellow stripes interspersed; 4 Indocalamus In.herklosii. Culms 1.5 m tall, bamboo leaves broad and large, evergreen through the four seasons.
4. Ornamental plant form category
1 Phoenix-tail bamboo B.glaucscens var.riviererum. A clumping bamboo, leaves small, arranged in two rows on the branchlets, shaped like pinnate compound leaves, often pruned into a spherical shape;
2 Small qinsi bamboo (flowering hedge bamboo) B.glaucscens f.alphonse-karr. A clumping bamboo, new culms pale red, old culms golden yellow, with irregular green longitudinal stripes interspersed;
3 Olive bamboo Acidosasa gigantean. The culms are upright, the branches spread out, the bamboo leaves are dense, the bamboo crown is layered, and the leaves are soft and slightly wrinkled.
Potted facilities and materials
1. Greenhouse
Newly planted potted bamboo should be kept under shaded conditions for care, and in northern winters it must overwinter indoors. Therefore, before potting bamboo, facilities should be built and shade nets covered to ensure shade in the hot summer and warmth in the cold winter. If conditions are good, heating equipment can also be provided.
2. Water source
Water management is the most labor-intensive part of potted bamboo management and directly affects survival. Therefore, the planting site must have sufficient water supply to meet production needs.
3. Potting soil
Bamboo likes acidic, slightly acidic, or neutral soil, with a pH of 4.5 to 7.0 being suitable, and it avoids clayey and alkaline soil. Northern soil is strongly alkaline, so 0.2% ferrous sulfate can be added. The potting soil is best as loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam, and farmland soil mixed with red-yellow soil, humus soil, and fine sand can be used. If Philo white bamboo is planted with ordinary potting soil, the survival rate is low; vermiculite or peat mixed with perlite can be used as the substrate, and the survival rate is relatively high.
4. Fertilizer
Bamboo fertilizer is mainly organic fertilizer. Decomposed livestock manure, garbage fertilizer, and river mud are all acceptable. Organic fertilizer is mainly used as base fertilizer, mixed into the potting soil for use, generally at 10% to 15% of the potting soil amount.
5. Pot body
The pot body for potted bamboo can use plastic flower pots, plastic buckets, nutrient pots, seedling bags, clay pots, and ceramic pots, among which nutrient pots and seedling bags are the most economical and the effect is also good. Choose the pot according to the size of the bamboo. For ground-cover bamboo such as Philo white bamboo, 10x10 and 13x12 cm nutrient pots can be used; for small bamboo such as Luohan bamboo, 30x30 cm nutrient pots can be used; for medium bamboo such as yellow-culm black Buzhu, 30x45 and 35x50 cm seedling bags can be used.
Potting process
1. Potting time
The best potting time for scattered bamboo is February and March before the bamboo shoots emerge in spring and September and October in autumn, among which February is best for ground-cover bamboo. Because clumping bamboo sends up shoots in summer and autumn, spring from March to May is better.
2. Potting requirements
From the bamboo nursery, dig up ornamental bamboo with low branching, lush bamboo leaves, and beautiful plant form, 2 to 3 plants per clump. When digging, bring more native soil to ensure the rhizome buds and rhizome roots are intact. After digging, immediately transport to a shady place and spray water on the leaf surface. Do not shake the culms when digging and transporting bamboo, so as not to damage the "screws" and affect survival. If the bamboo is too tall, the tip should be cut off; if there are too many bamboo leaves, some leaves can be removed. When placed indoors, the bamboo height should be controlled at about 2 m.
3. Potting key points
When potting, first place the pot level, and line the bottom of the pot with a layer of breathable material such as crushed stone pieces or coal cinder. Then fill in a layer of potting soil and place the bamboo into the pot. Finally, add more soil, and while adding soil, use a wooden stick to tamp the soil firmly around the pot. After potting, immediately water thoroughly until water flows out from the bottom of the pot.
Care and management
To ensure that potted bamboo survives, grows robustly, and stays emerald green and elegant, care and management must be strengthened. The main tasks include the following aspects:
1. Water management
Bamboo likes moisture and fears waterlogging. After potting, water thoroughly the first time, and afterward keep the potting soil moist. Do not water too much, otherwise the rhizomes and roots are prone to rot. From potting to the stage of survival, also frequently spray water on the leaves. If the potting soil lacks water, the bamboo leaves will curl; at this time, water promptly, and the bamboo leaves will unfold again. In summer, water on average once every 1 to 2 days; in winter, water less, but ensure the potting soil remains moist to prevent "dry freezing."
2. Fertilizer management
Fertilizer for potted bamboo is mainly organic fertilizer mixed into the potting soil at potting time. After the bamboo survives, apply additional fertilizer appropriately, "apply thin fertilizer frequently." In spring and summer, apply 0.5% urea or 1.0% compound fertilizer with water.
3. Pest and disease control
The main insect pests of potted bamboo include aphids, scale insects, and others, which can be sprayed with 80% dichlorvos emulsion or 40% dimethoate emulsion at 1000 times dilution; the main diseases include sooty mold and witches' broom, and management should be strengthened, with diseased plants pruned promptly.
4. Other management
In high-temperature seasons, potted bamboo should be moved to a cool place to avoid scorching sun exposure. Greenhouses should be covered with shade netting, and water should be sprayed on the leaves to keep the leaf color emerald green. In winter, potted bamboo must be moved to a wind-sheltered, sunny place or indoors, and greenhouses should be covered with plastic film for insulation.
Bamboo propagation methods
Bamboo is mostly propagated by division, burying culm sections, transplanting rhizomes, and sowing.
The bamboo rhizome has strong sprouting ability and clumping habit. Before sprouting in early spring, cut the bamboo rhizome and plant it separately together with the culm; by that summer, new bamboo can grow. Seeds from bamboo after flowering can also be sown.
For planting bamboo, choose a wind-sheltered, sunny, and humid environment. Bamboo grows fast and has a large growth volume, with high water and fertilizer requirements; it requires sufficient moisture but also good drainage. It requires deep, fertile soil rich in organic matter and mineral elements, slightly acidic soil. Common courtyard plantings include moso bamboo, fernleaf hedge bamboo, sweet bamboo, dryland garden bamboo, and stiff bamboo.
1. Rhizome burial propagation
Suitable for scattered bamboo species and mixed bamboo species. Method: dig out strong rhizomes, retain rhizome roots and rhizome buds, keep more of the original soil, cut the bamboo rhizomes into 50-60 cm sections, lay them flat on the seedbed, cover with soil 5-8 cm thick, and keep the seedbed moist. The best time for rhizome burial is one month before bamboo shoots emerge in early spring. After burying the rhizomes, pay attention to watering in dry weather and drainage in rainy weather. After seedlings emerge, apply nitrogen fertilizer at the right time, such as urea, ammonium sulfate, and decomposed human manure, and also weed promptly. As long as management is proper, after one year each rhizome can produce 2-3 bamboo seedlings for afforestation the following spring.
2. Culm burial propagation
Suitable for clumping bamboo species. Method: select 2-year-old robust culms, dig them up with the clump base or cut them off without the clump base, keep one branch node on each node of the culm, cut off and remove the tip of the culm, make a notch by chopping or sawing in the middle of every 1-2 nodes, soak the culm in clean water, and after the culm cavity is filled with water, seal the cut with clay. Open level trenches in the seedbed, place the culm flat (with the cuts facing up), then cover with soil 5-10 cm and keep the seedbed moist. After about 1 month, the buds at the culm nodes gradually sprout and emerge. After half a year to one year, the culm can be dug up and cut into single-plant bamboo seedlings for afforestation. The best period for culm burial propagation is about 1 month before bamboo sprouts.
3. Node burial propagation
This method is also suitable for clumping bamboo species, especially clumping bamboos with dormant buds at the base of side branches, such as Chengzhu bamboo, green skin bamboo, Datou Dian bamboo, and Diaosi bamboo. Method: saw the culm into sections node by node or every two nodes, then transplant and bury them in the seedbed and cover with soil and keep moist. The management requirements are the same as for culm burial propagation.
4. Side branch propagation
This method is also applied to clumping bamboo species. Method: remove side branches (secondary branches) from the nodes of culms 2 years old or older, cut off excess branch tips and bamboo leaves, retain 5-8 nodes, and protect the buds at the base. Insert the side branches into the seedbed and expose the upper half of the branches and leaves, set up a shade shed over the seedbed, and spray water frequently to keep moist. After 1-2 weeks, the base of the secondary branches grows roots, new buds grow on the branch nodes, and they gradually develop into independent bamboo plants. Generally, side branch cuttings have the best effect when done during the period of most vigorous bamboo growth. After one year of cultivation, side branch seedlings tiller into bamboo clumps and can then be used for afforestation.
Propagating bamboo by any vegetative method is a kind of mutation, which leads to flowering.
Bamboo disease control
The main insect pests of potted bamboo include aphids, scale insects, and others, which can be sprayed with 80% dichlorvos emulsion or 40% dimethoate emulsion at 1000 times dilution; the main diseases include sooty mold and witches' broom, and management should be strengthened, with diseased plants pruned promptly.
Bamboo variety classification: contemporary varieties
1. Bambusa emeiensis
Bambusa emeiensis is a clumping type. A typical representative of bamboo: tall, with long internodes and dense, rich leaves. Its biological characteristics:
(1) Growth characteristics of the aboveground part: shoot buds emerge from June to August, and growth basically stops in mid-October. Generally 20-30 nodes, 8 to 13 m tall; the longest lifespan is 9 years; 1-2-year-old mother bamboo has the strongest shoot-producing ability, and 3-5 connected generations have a high growth rate of new shoots and can be cultivated into large timber; leaves are replaced once a year; flowering is unrelated to age and is related to moisture and nutrition; before flowering the leaves turn yellow, and after flowering the leaves gradually fall off, the plant gradually dies, and the material becomes brittle; 1-year-old is young bamboo, 2-3-year-old is mature bamboo; 4-5-year-old is old bamboo. The sheaths are hairy.
(2) Growth characteristics of the underground part: the culm base has 6 nodes, of which only one node has shoots growing out (the part connecting the culm base to the old bamboo); the underground part is densely packed together, does not extend elsewhere, and has a tendency to arch upward toward the ground; the rhizome of a single clump of culm bamboo has well-developed fibrous roots, mostly in the surface layer, reaching as deep as 2 m. New young bamboo does not produce roots in the same year; roots form in the second year and then gradually weaken, with very few living roots on 6-7-year-old old bamboo; culms that have lost the aboveground part can remain underground for more than ten years before rotting. If not treated in time, they coil layer upon layer, affecting the formation of bamboo shoots and the growth of the bamboo grove. The connection between the bamboo plant and the old clump base should be cut off; this is called "digging out the clump base."
The culm fiber of Bambusa emeiensis is highly tough, with sparse nodes and long internodes, making it a superior material for bamboo weaving crafts. Bambusa emeiensis is the main bamboo species in Qingshen; in rural areas, almost every household plants it.
2. Danzhu bamboo
Commonly known among local people as "bitter ci," it is a high-quality Bambusa emeiensis in the genus Bambusa with the longest internodes (more than one meter long). The bamboo texture is fine, and the fiber toughness is especially strong; it can be split into bamboo strips as thin as cicada wings and as fine as hair, woven into refined bamboo crafts resembling silk or fine silk. This species mostly grows in fertile, shady mountain areas and is the best material for bamboo weaving. In addition to Qingshen, there are also some of these "bitter ci" bamboos in the Meishan and Qionglai areas.
3. Four-season bamboo
This is a high-quality bamboo species introduced to Qingshen in recent years. Clumping type, named for producing shoots in all four seasons. A species in the genus Bambusa; its biggest characteristics are thick, tall, and straight culms, with a single one weighing several dozen jin, fine fibers, and fast propagation and growth. It is a good material for papermaking and has great economic value. In Qingshen townships such as Xilong, Guanjin, Guihua, Baiguo, and Luowan, there are bases of this bamboo covering over 100,000 mu. This bamboo originates from Daping Township, Yuanling County, Hunan.
4. Yingtouhuang bamboo
Clumping type, with tall, straight, hard culms, thick walls and small cavities, so it is mostly used for building materials; in rural areas it is all used for load-bearing and for carrying and lifting things. Planting volume is small.
5. Mottled bamboo
Also known as Xiangfei bamboo, scattered type, with tall, straight, upright culms, large diameter, hard texture, and brown spots on the culm surface. Legend says they were formed from the tears of Emperor Yao's two daughters, hence the name "mottled bamboo." This bamboo is mostly used for building materials and can also be split into strips for weaving. In ancient times, boat tow ropes were mostly made from strips of this bamboo. Its characteristics are that water does not easily erode it, it is lightweight, and it has strong tensile strength. The planting volume in Qingshen is not large. It is mainly produced in the Xiang River basin of Hunan.
6. Nan bamboo
Also known as moso bamboo, it is the representative of scattered bamboo. The culms are tall and straight, hard. The diameter is about 20 cm, making it a good material in construction; the bamboo head is a good material for carved crafts; bamboo shoots are an excellent dish, called "jade nan slices." In Qingshen it is planted in places such as Zhongyan Temple and Deyun Temple. It is abundantly produced in Changning, Sichuan, Chishui, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Hunan, and other places.
7. Thorny nan bamboo
A species in the genus Phyllostachys, named because both the culms and branches have hard "thorns." Clumping type, with tall, straight, upright, thick culms (more than 10 cm in diameter), thick flesh, small cavities, hairless shoot sheaths, and few leaves. Mostly used for building materials. There is a small amount planted in places such as Qingshen Bamboo Art City and Tianmiao.
8. Water bamboo
Scattered type, with slender, hard culms shaped like steel pipes, sparse leaves, and relatively strong bamboo toughness. Mostly used as material for making bamboo furniture; when growing over large areas, it can be used as papermaking material. There was once a patch of water bamboo in Luowan, Qingshen, called a "bamboo sea."
9. Ink bamboo
Scattered type, a rare bamboo species. Named because both the culms and branches are black; the outer shell of the shoot tip is reddish brown, and it matures in one year. It is the best material for making flute and xiao wind instruments. There is little of it in a few places in Qingshen.
10. White powder bamboo
Clumping type, genus Bambusa, with long internodes, shaped like "bitter ci," named because there is a thin layer of white powder on the culm surface.
Ornamental bamboos introduced by Qingshen "Bamboo Art City" include:
11. Arhat bamboo
Clumping type, with short culms, a large head and a small upper body; several nodes at the head bulge like an "arhat's" belly, hence the name. It can be used as craft material.
12. Qin-si bamboo
Clumping type; some are tall, some are short; the culm surface is pale yellow with alternating thick and thin green lines, shaped like "qin strings," hence the name.
13. Fernleaf hedge bamboo
Clumping type, with slender and short culms and very small branches and leaves, named because it resembles a phoenix tail.
14. Square bamboo
Mixed type, named because the bamboo culm is approximately square. The surface is pale yellow, and there is a ring of small thorns on the node ring, so it is also called "thorn bamboo." It can be used as a material for craft processing. This bamboo is rare and is a rare bamboo category. There is a precious patch of "square bamboo" in Fengli Village, Zhayang Township, Tuorong County, Fujian.
15. Palm bamboo
Mixed type; its stem resembles bamboo but is not bamboo, black with a skin, solid in the center, and with white mane-like patterns in the flesh.
16. Bamboo hat bamboo
Mixed type, with slender, straight, hard culms and broad leaves, and strong reproductive capacity. In ancient times, the culms were used to make arrow shafts. People in Qingshen often place the leaves inside woven bamboo hats to protect against rain or sunlight, hence the name "bamboo hat bamboo."
17. The largest bamboo in the world, giant dragon bamboo
Produced in the Yunnan region of China, local people can use it to make buckets or large vessels. Some professionals say it is Jinlei bamboo.
Ancient bamboo species
Recorded in the Jin Dynasty's Dai Kaizhi's "Bamboo Classic" and the Ming Dynasty's Xu Guangqi's "Complete Book of Agricultural Administration"
1. Twelve-hour bamboo: bamboo nodes are surrounded by raised characters. The twelve characters chou, yan, mao, si, wu, wei, shen, you, xu, hai, and so on. This bamboo was found in the home of Zhou Junshu in Anfu, Qizhou; it is also a wonder of creation.
2. Xilao bamboo: from Xinzhou, one branch has a hundred leaves, and its sharp skin can be used to sharpen armor. After long use it becomes slightly smooth; soak it overnight in sour slurry, and it becomes sharp again as before. It is mostly used for crossbow arrows.
3. Human-face bamboo: from Tanshan, the bamboo diameter is nearly several cun, and near the base up to two chi, the nodes are close together and uneven on all four sides, the bamboo skin is like fish scales, and the surface bulges somewhat like a human face. Large bamboo is as big as a bowl mouth, small bamboo is like a finger; it is a treasure for craft processing.
4. Peach-silk bamboo: leaves like palm, body like bamboo, dense nodes and solid, thick outside and thin-boned, a natural walking stick. It comes from the Bayu area; the kind produced in Yu has fine patterns, with one internode four chi long.
5. Gold-inlaid jasper bamboo: produced in Chengdu, no different from ordinary bamboo, but on the culm each node alternates two green and two yellow sections.
6. Filial bamboo: culms slender and long, making large threads. In summer, shoots emerge from the middle, yielding to the mother bamboo; in winter, shoots protect from the outside, and the mother bamboo wraps them inside, hence it is called ci jiao.
7. Qi bamboo: from Qizhou in Chu. Local people take the glossy, moist-colored ones to make mats, and those with sparse nodes to make xiao pipes (flutes).
8. Double bamboo: grows in Wulin West Mountain in Zhejiang. Its wonder is in its slender bamboo and tender shoots, which sprout in pairs and in disorder, with the most lovely color.
9. Dragon Lord bamboo: produced in Luofu Mountain. Its diameter is about seven chi, its internodes are one zhang two chi long, and its leaves are like banana leaves.
10. Bow bamboo: produced in the East. The plant grows a hundred xun long; it is curved like a vine and must rely on a large tree to climb up. Its texture has grain.
11. Keting bamboo: produced south of Yunmeng. Its culms, after a number of years, are split to make musical instruments, and the sound is the clearest and brightest.
12. Cinnamon bamboo: from Nankang Prefecture. The culms are four to five zhang high and about one chi in circumference, shaped like licorice skin but red in color.
13. Simo bamboo: its wonder is that shoots come from the nodes, and after the culm has formed, shoots again grow from its nodes. It comes from overseas.
14. Plum-green bamboo: its culms resemble Xiangfei bamboo but are slender, the skin has no spiral patterns, and the color is also dark. It is much inferior to others and is mostly used for fan ribs.
15. Dafu bamboo: named for being slender and long, with straight culms reaching the clouds, and a circumference of three chi. It comes from Luyan.
16. Dragon-whisker bamboo: grows in Chenzhou and among the three mountains of Zhejiang. It is less than one chi high, and its branches and culms are as fine as needles. It can be used as a potted ornamental, but in winter it must not be exposed to frost or snow.
17. Linhe bamboo: its culms are so large that some reach ten arm spans, making it even more wondrous than Dragon Lord bamboo. It comes from Linhe.
18. Lovesick bamboo: from Guangdong. It resembles double bamboo but is somewhat larger, and all grow in pairs facing each other.
19. Sparse-node bamboo: its culms are the tallest, with each internode about one cun apart. It comes from the south side of Limu Mountain.
20. Danqing bamboo: from Xiong'er Mountain. Its leaves have three colors, yellow, green, and red, growing alternately.
21. Through-node bamboo: produced in Qinzhou. Its culms grow straight upward without nodes, and the center is hollow without partitions; it is also a different species.
22. Ningbo bamboo: its branches and leaves all resemble ordinary bamboo, but it has red flowers that open like pomegranate; it is also a wondrous bamboo.
23. Pei bamboo: it was once said that this bamboo grows a hundred zhang long and comes from the cities of the southern wilderness. It is appended here to record the marvel.
24. Flat bamboo: its culms are extremely flat. It comes from Mount Kuanglu.
25. Boat bamboo: from Yuanqiu. It is as large as a bathtub.
26. Qiong bamboo: Emperor Wu of Han sent people to open a route and obtain Qiong bamboo staffs.
27. Guanyin bamboo: from Zhancheng Wei.
28. Fan bamboo: none.
Famous types
Stiff bamboo, sweet bamboo, mottled bamboo, arrow bamboo, square bamboo, moso bamboo (Mengzong bamboo, nan bamboo), green bamboo, thorn bamboo, long-branch bamboo, hemp bamboo, cinnamon bamboo, purple bamboo, fernleaf hedge bamboo.
Bamboo is the general term for Bambusoideae, a branch of the grass family Poaceae. It is distributed in subtropical regions and is also called bamboo or bamboos. Some are low and grass-like, and some are as tall as large trees. They usually grow in patches through underground creeping rhizomes. They can also reproduce by flowering and setting seed. They are perennial plants. The shoots of some species are edible. It is known that there are about 150 genera and 1225 species worldwide.
The classification system of bamboo is imperfect. Due to growth characteristics, bamboo does not often flower, and its appearance is also very similar, so the current classification of bamboo is based on the sheath shells covering the outside of bamboo shoots. However, the traits of the sheath shells are not stable, so in many cases this causes ambiguity, making it impossible to reach a uniquely definitive conclusion on the boundaries between some bamboo populations. The following is an incomplete statistic; please forgive me:
There are many kinds of bamboo, totaling more than 500 species, varieties, forms, and cultivars, most of which can be used for courtyard viewing. Famous varieties include: nan bamboo, fernleaf hedge bamboo, small qin-si bamboo, Buddha-belly bamboo, large Buddha-belly bamboo, cold bamboo, Xiangfei bamboo, cold arrow bamboo, large arrow bamboo, Tang bamboo, Thai bamboo, large Thai bamboo, filial bamboo, ox-ear bamboo, square bamboo, Sichuan square bamboo, dragon-crutch bamboo, cart-barrel bamboo, green skin bamboo, pink single bamboo, short-spike bamboo, yellow bamboo, flower-culm yellow bamboo, giant dragon bamboo, crutch bamboo, smooth giant bamboo, broad-leaf indocalamus, mercury bamboo, human-face bamboo, moso bamboo, flower moso bamboo, flower bamboo, purple bamboo, mottled bamboo, tortoise-shell bamboo, sweet bamboo, stiff bamboo, bitter bamboo, golden bamboo, tortoise-pattern bamboo, silver-chain bamboo, jade-edge bamboo, tea-culm bamboo, arrow bamboo, bubble bamboo, arhat bamboo, sprout bamboo, goose-feather bamboo, thorn bamboo, Fei yellow bamboo, Chinese indocalamus, ink bamboo, and so on.
Bamboo is evergreen through the four seasons, upright and elegant, colorful, and in a thousand forms. Fernleaf hedge bamboo has upright, graceful, slender branches and leaves; qin-si bamboo has emerald green lines inlaid on golden-yellow branches and stems; Xiangfei bamboo has mottled markings on its branches and stems, green and graceful; spotted-leaf bitter bamboo has white spotted patterns on its leaves; purple bamboo, yellow bamboo, and red bamboo have branches and stems respectively tinged with purple, yellow, and purplish red; flower-body bamboo has yellow lines inlaid on green culms; Buddha-belly bamboo has short, thick branches and stems that bulge outward, like an arhat's big belly. In addition, dragon-scale bamboo, jasper bamboo, chicken-claw bamboo, and others are also rare varieties among bamboos.
Because bamboo does not often flower, the shoot period is short, and the timing of shoot emergence varies, it is difficult to collect specimens of all organs at the same time, which brings difficulties to research work and makes the study of the classification system of Bambusoideae one of the more disputed parts of plant systematics research. There are about 70-80 genera and more than 1000 species of Bambusoideae plants worldwide. China is the country with the richest bamboo resources and the longest history of bamboo cultivation and utilization in the world, and it ranks in the international leading ranks in bamboo research, bamboo grove cultivation, and product development, and is called a "world bamboo industry power."
China is one of the world's central bamboo production areas and one of the countries with the richest bamboo resources, the largest bamboo grove area, the highest output, the longest cultivation history, and relatively high management levels in the world. Bamboo grove area accounts for 1/5 of the world's bamboo grove area. China has about 300 species of bamboo and is not only the main origin area of Asian bamboo but also the center of modern bamboo differentiation and distribution. Bamboo grows fast; after planting, it can be cut and used in four years, and one planting can be used many times. Because the material is easy to obtain, light, and strong, it has been widely used by humans since ancient times. From its culms, branches, leaves, sheaths, rhizome roots, and young shoots, there are hundreds of uses in building materials, food, papermaking, packaging, crafts, and other fields. Therefore, bamboo is an extremely important economic crop. Archaeology confirms that our ancestors used bamboo for hunting and warfare ten thousand years ago. Bamboo slips, bamboo and silk, and writing brushes, these bamboo cultural utensils, recorded history.
In addition to a large number of writings on bamboo in ancient Chinese books, starting in the 1930s some scholars conducted modern taxonomic research on bamboo. The late Professor Geng Yili (1897-1975) edited "Illustrated Major Plants of China: Poaceae" in 1959, making a preliminary systematic arrangement of the genera and species of Bambusoideae in China. At that time, 20 genera and 71 species, varieties, and types were included, including 12 Yunnan bamboo species. According to the "Flora of China," the bamboo species now reported are 37 genera and about 500 species, with both the number of genera and the number of species accounting for 1/2 of the world, of which about 1/3 of the genera and species are endemic components.
More systematic research on Bambusoideae in Yunnan began to make great progress in the 1970s, among which the contributions made by the famous bamboo taxonomist Professor Xue Jiru were especially notable. He began this work in the 1950s, and by the 1980s had successively discovered 5 new genera, 6 newly distributed genera, and 120 new species. Systematic literature includes "Yunnan Bamboo Resources and Their Development and Utilization" (edited by Xue Jiru, Yang Yuming, Hui Chaomao, and others), "Bamboo Cultivation and Utilization" (edited by Hui Chaomao, Du Fan, and Yang Yuming), "Industrialized Utilization of Timber Bamboo Resources" (compiled by Hui Chaomao and Yang Yuming), "Industrialized Development of High-Quality Shoot Bamboo" (edited by Yang Yuming and Hui Chaomao), "Nujiang Bamboo" (compiled by Hui Chaomao and others), and other monographs.
According to ancient Chinese works "Detailed Record of Bamboo Manuals" and "Complete Book of Agricultural Administration": "The categories of bamboo number sixty-one, three hundred and fourteen species." According to records: there are 65 genera and 1250 species of bamboo worldwide. China is the country with the richest bamboo resources and has long been known as the "bamboo kingdom." At present, bamboo has 39 genera and more than 500 species, with a bamboo grove area of 7.2 million hectares. Bamboo grove types, area, and stock volume all rank among the world's forefront. Zhang Qisheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and an expert in bamboo charcoal research, once said in an interview with reporters that bamboo charcoal products represent the current popular consumption trend at home and abroad, China's bamboo resources are very rich, and the bamboo charcoal industry has broad market prospects. At present, bamboo in Taiwan can be divided into 5 genera, totaling about more than 170 species. There are six common major categories in Taiwan: cinnamon bamboo, Mengzong bamboo, thorn bamboo, evergreen branch bamboo, hemp bamboo, and green bamboo.
There are about more than 70 genera and more than 1,200 species of bamboo plants worldwide, mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, with a few bamboo species distributed in temperate and cold zones. Bamboo has high requirements for water and heat conditions and is very sensitive; the distribution of water and heat on the earth's surface governs the geographical distribution of bamboo. Southeast Asia is located in the tropics and southern subtropics and is also affected by the convergence of the Pacific and Indian Ocean monsoons, with abundant rainfall and stable heat, making it an ideal ecological environment for bamboo growth and also the center of world bamboo distribution; bamboo is mainly distributed in temperate regions around 30 degrees north latitude.
Identifying bamboo species is based on its growth characteristics. It is mainly identified from its propagation type, culm appearance, and the shape characteristics of the bamboo sheath. According to propagation type, bamboo is divided into three major categories: clumping type, scattered type, and mixed type.
Clumping type
That is, new bamboo is propagated from buds at the base of the mother bamboo. New bamboo grows from the lateral buds of the culm rhizome of the old bamboo, so they appear to cluster together, clump by clump. People commonly call it "bamboo clump base producing shoots." Examples include Bambusa emeiensis, Yingtouhuang bamboo, hemp bamboo, Danzhu bamboo, green bamboo, thorn bamboo, long-branch bamboo, and Penglai bamboo.
Scattered type
That is, new bamboo is propagated from buds on the rhizome roots (commonly called horse whips). Examples include moso bamboo, mottled bamboo, water bamboo, purple bamboo, and so on.
Mixed type
That is, it propagates both from buds at the base of the mother bamboo and from buds on the bamboo rhizome roots. Their long underground stems creep underground! New bamboo then emerges from these underground stems, so new bamboo grows near the old bamboo and appears to grow independently one by one. Examples include Mengzong bamboo, cinnamon bamboo, human-face bamboo, ink bamboo, Tang bamboo, square bamboo, bitter bamboo, palm bamboo, arrow bamboo, Japanese red bamboo, and so on.
Bamboo distribution regions
Bamboo belongs to the monocotyledonous grass family Poaceae. Bamboo is widely distributed and grows on all continents. There are about 65 genera and more than 1250 species worldwide. Bamboo likes to grow in warm and humid climates, so it is mainly distributed in low-latitude tropical or subtropical monsoon climate zones. Asia is where bamboo grows; bamboo is a specialty of the East. At present, about 79 species grow in Taiwan, among which 17 are fixed species. Their distribution runs from north to south, and they can be seen from sea level to high mountains above three thousand meters.
World bamboo and distribution
Bamboo is mainly distributed in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions between 46 degrees north latitude and 47 degrees south latitude on Earth. In the world, except for the European continent, native bamboo species after the fourth glaciation can be found on all other continents. Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Yunnan, and Sichuan in China all have large distributions of different kinds of bamboo. The Asia-Pacific region and the Americas are also major bamboo distribution areas.
Bamboo originated in the tropics but still has strong adaptability, being distributed from the tropics to the temperate zone. Some species can be distributed into cold temperate zones and the upper parts of mountain ranges at altitudes as high as 4500 m. In the world, except for Europe, which has no natural bamboo species, all other continents have natural distribution, but most of their species are concentrated in humid and warm tropical and subtropical regions. From a global perspective, bamboo can be divided into three major regions in terms of geographical distribution.
Asia-Pacific Bamboo Region
This region is the largest bamboo region, extending south to 42°S in Singapore, north to 51°N in central Sakhalin, east to the Pacific islands, and west to the southwestern Indian Ocean. It contains approximately 40 to 50 genera and nearly 900 species of bamboo. The Southeast Asian part of this region is the world's center of origin for bamboo and also one of its modern distribution centers. In particular, central and southern Yunnan, China, has extremely rich bamboo species with complex floristic and geographical elements, including a large number of economically valuable bamboo species.
American Bamboo
Spanning the Americas, from 47°S in southern Argentina to 40°N in the eastern United States, with approximately 18 genera and 270 species. Bamboo is far less important in the cultural development, production, and daily life of the Americas than it is in Asia.
African Bamboo Region
This region has a relatively small bamboo distribution range, extending south to 22° and north to 6°N in eastern Sudan. The bamboo flora of the African mainland is poor, with few native bamboo species, but it forms large areas of bamboo forest, or associates with other tree species to form the lower and middle layers of mixed forests. In contrast, the island of Madagascar in East Africa has 11 genera and 40 species, far richer than the African mainland.
Distribution of Bamboo in China. China is one of the countries richest in bamboo in the world. In terms of distribution, it shows clear zonation and regionality, and can be divided into 5 major bamboo regions.
Northern Scattered Bamboo Region
This includes southeastern Gansu, northern Sichuan, southern Shaanxi, Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, as well as southern Shandong and southwestern Hebei, with approximately 10 genera, 29 species, 10 varieties, and forms of bamboo distributed. The bamboo in this region is mainly scattered bamboo, such as Bashania and Phyllostachys. Based on the horizontal distribution of bamboo, it can be further divided into 3 natural distribution zones: the northern subtropical Huai River and upper Han River bamboo zone; the warm temperate middle and lower Yellow River bamboo zone; and the warm temperate Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia bamboo zone.
Jiangnan Mixed Bamboo Region
This region includes southeastern Sichuan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and northwestern Fujian, roughly equivalent to 25-30°N. It has the characteristic of mixed distribution of scattered bamboo and clumping bamboo, including both scattered bamboo such as Phyllostachys, Indocalamus, and Pleioblastus, and clumping bamboo such as Neosinocalamus and Bambusa. This region has the largest area of planted bamboo forest and the highest bamboo timber output in China, especially moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis). It is the central distribution area of moso bamboo in China, and the bamboo industry is relatively developed here.
Southwest Alpine Bamboo Region
This includes southeastern Tibet, northwestern and northeastern Yunnan, and western and southern Sichuan, located in the Hengduan Mountain area. It is mainly dominated by sympodial scattered alpine bamboo types such as Fargesia and Yushania, generally distributed at altitudes of 1500-3800 m or higher. Species of Indocalamus, Chimonocalamus, and Chimonobambusa are occasionally found in this region.
Southern Clumping Bamboo Region
It is divided into two subregions based on differences in bamboo species composition and habitat conditions. South China Subregion: includes Taiwan, China, the Fujian coast, areas south of the Nanling Mountains in Guangdong, and southeastern Guangxi, situated in the current subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest zone and tropical rainforest and rain forest areas. Representative bamboo types include clumping bamboos such as Bambusa and Schizostachyum. Bambusa has the most species and is the distribution center of the genus. This subregion also has amphipodial mixed types such as Sinobambusa. Southwest Subregion: includes western Guangxi, southern Guizhou, and most of Yunnan, mainly clumping bamboos such as Dendrocalamus, Gigantochloa, Cephalostachyum, and Thyrsostachys, with Dendrocalamus being particularly abundant and this being the geographical distribution center of the genus.
Qiong-Dian Climbing Bamboo Region
This includes central and southern Hainan Island, southern and western edges of Yunnan, and the southern edge of Tibet. The main characteristic of bamboo in this region is the presence of various climbing clumping bamboos, such as some species of Melocalamus, Dinochloa, Schizostachyum, and Bambusa.
The region with the richest species of Bambusoideae in China is Yunnan, where 28 genera and 220 species have been discovered and reported, with the number of genera accounting for 3/4 of the national total and the number of species accounting for nearly 1/2 of the national total. The academic community recognizes Yunnan as one of the world's centers of origin and modern distribution of bamboo plants, and it has the reputation of being the "hometown of the world's bamboos."
Yunnan Province is the world's richest and most unique region for bamboo plants, and is the world's center of origin and modern distribution for bamboo plants, with more than 28 genera and 220 species distributed. The number of genera accounts for 40% of the world and 75% of China, while the number of species accounts for 25% of the world and 50% of China. The richness of Yunnan's bamboo species is unmatched by any other country or region in the world; it is also a world-famous natural bamboo forest distribution area, with a bamboo forest area of 331,000 hectares, and is known as the "hometown of the world's bamboos," the "hometown of large clumping bamboos," and the "hometown of ethnic bamboo culture."
The geographical distribution of bamboo in Yunnan can be divided into 7 zones: the southern Yunnan tropical large clumping bamboo zone, the southwestern Yunnan tropical and warm-temperate large and medium-sized clumping bamboo zone, the southeastern Yunnan tropical and warm-temperate large and medium-sized mixed bamboo zone, the central Yunnan warm-temperate medium-sized mixed bamboo zone, the western Yunnan warm-temperate small and medium-sized mixed bamboo zone, the northwestern Yunnan cold-temperate small mixed bamboo zone, and the northeastern Yunnan cool-temperate small and medium-sized scattered bamboo zone.
Bamboo Garden
Bamboo originated in tropical and subtropical rainy regions. Yunnan has complex terrain and large altitude differences, and its climate is influenced by both the southeast monsoon and the southwest monsoon, all of which provide favorable conditions for bamboo growth. Therefore, Yunnan is the center of origin for Asian bamboo and also the center of origin for the world's bamboo. Many bamboo species are centered in or endemic to Yunnan. Among Yunnan's bamboos, many are large and medium-sized bamboos with excellent shoots and timber, as well as precious economic bamboos with extremely high ornamental value.
The Bamboo Garden was established in 1965 and has introduced and cultivated more than 250 species of bamboo. It has collected most species from southern Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and tropical Southeast Asia, as well as a small number of species from Yunnan. There are many precious bamboo species in the garden, such as the giant dragon bamboo with culms up to 25 cm in diameter, the Buddha belly bamboo with internodes resembling a Buddha's belly, the golden-and-green bamboo with alternating yellow and green stripes, the spiny bamboo whose branches are covered with hooked thorns, the glutinous rice fragrant bamboo used by the local Dai people to make bamboo tube rice, the rare climbing bamboo that climbs trees and twines around branches, and the phoenix-tail bamboo with rich Dai ethnic flavor.
The Uses and Functions of Bamboo
Bamboo is evergreen throughout the four seasons and has a wide range of uses. In courtyards, it is an indispensable plant for accenting rockeries and waterside pavilions. Bamboo is evergreen throughout the four seasons and absorbs a large amount of water. Planting some bamboo in front of and behind the house can not only beautify the environment, but also make it very shady in summer. Mr. Dongpo once said: "I would rather eat without meat than live without bamboo." This shows that bamboo is very closely related to people's lives. Phoenix-tail bamboo is widely planted along the Li River in Guilin, forming a unique landscape. Anji Bamboo Sea, Shunan Bamboo Sea, and Gannan Bamboo Sea are famous bamboo sea landscapes in China.
Because bamboo material is elegant, its products are sturdy and durable, comfortable to sit and lie on, and inexpensive, with a strong rustic flavor and ethnic character, it is widely used by humans in daily life. The art of bamboo craftsmanship has consequently been preserved, created, and continued. Bamboo grows quickly. In recent years, for environmental reasons, a large amount of furniture and paper has switched to being made from bamboo. Bamboo can also be used to make handicrafts, musical instruments, and more.
Bamboo Art
Bamboo handicrafts include: bamboo slips, bamboo plaques, bamboo hanging paintings, bamboo slip calligraphy and painting, carved bamboo brush holders, carved bamboo arm rests, bamboo root carvings, and various other categories.
Bamboo Furniture
In ancient China, furniture mainly included mats, beds, screens, mirror stands, tables, chairs, cabinets, and so on. The mat was the oldest and most primitive furniture, originally woven from leaves, and later mostly woven from reeds and thin bamboo strips.
Bamboo in Artworks
Painters throughout Chinese dynasties often took bamboo as their creative subject, such as Wen Tong (1017-1079), Ni Zan (1301-1374), Xia Chang (1388-1470), Zheng Banqiao (1693-1765), Zhu Xuanxian (1927-2002), and others. They all created many excellent works in this area.
In addition, it can be used for furniture, papermaking, handicrafts, musical instruments, and as building materials for constructing sheds, flooring, and so on, as well as for daily necessities such as brooms and summer sleeping mats. In recent years, bamboo fiber made from bamboo material through engineering methods and physical and chemical processes has been used in textiles, made into towels and clothing, and more.
Bamboo charcoal is made by roasting bamboo material and is used in many contexts, including removing environmental odors and in special-flavor foods. Activated carbon made by crushing and activating bamboo charcoal has good adsorption and purification effects and is used in automobiles and homes, as well as in sewage treatment and other applications.
It is mainly divided into four major categories: shoot use, ornamental use, traditional timber use, and industrial timber use:
Shoot Use
This mainly manifests as bamboo shoots and dried bamboo shoots. China's excellent main bamboo species for shoots include moso bamboo and early bamboo in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and ma bamboo and green bamboo in the Pearl River basin, Fujian, Taiwan, China, and other places. Bamboo shoots are rich in protein, amino acids, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, and vitamins B1, B2, and C, and are an excellent health vegetable.
Bamboo green is a traditional Chinese medicinal material for reducing internal heat and cooling the body. The liquid obtained by roasting fresh bamboo slices over fire is called bamboo sap, used to treat cough and resolve phlegm. Bamboo shoots are a common delicacy. Bamboo seeds are called bamboo rice, and because they are hard to obtain, they are a precious delicacy.
In Japan and South Korea, some people mix it with sea salt, loess, and the like, and process it into green bamboo salt (or bamboo salt) using a method similar to steelmaking, as a seasoning or even added to personal hygiene products. Bamboo salt toothpaste is one of the better-known products among them. It is said to have effects in reducing inflammation and fighting bacteria, preventing allergies and cavities, maintaining gum collagen, and preventing gum degeneration and periodontal disease.
Ornamental Use
This mainly manifests as ornamental garden bamboo, a type of bamboo plant specially cultivated for ornamental garden application, generally with relatively unusual forms such as culms and leaf color. Common ornamental bamboos include: scattered types such as black bamboo, moso bamboo, fishscale bamboo, giant timber bamboo, and square bamboo; clumping types such as Buddha belly bamboo and hedge bamboo; and mixed types such as indocalamus and tea-stem bamboo.
Traditional Timber Use
1. Household items: bamboo brooms, bamboo fences, bamboo pig cages, bamboo greenhouses, bamboo waterwheels, bamboo vegetable baskets, bamboo ladders, bamboo rafts, flagpoles, bamboo stools, bamboo trestles, bamboo mats, bamboo mats, bamboo cushions, bamboo fans, toothpicks, bamboo cups, fishing rods, bamboo umbrellas, etc.
2. Pure handicrafts: bamboo wind chimes, bamboo carvings, woven bamboo products, bamboo musical instruments, etc.
3. Building materials: bamboo plywood, bamboo flooring, etc.
4. Other timber uses: bamboo charcoal, bamboo vinegar liquid, bamboo pulp papermaking, medicinal use of bamboo leaves, etc.
Industrial Timber Use
Although bamboo material has many advantages such as fast growth, high yield, strong toughness, and abundant reserves, its hollow nature, many nodes, and tendency to break longitudinally make its performance in industrial applications far inferior to wood.
In terms of industrial application, perhaps the only highlight is bamboo pallet products. It is understood that the bamboo pallet products produced by Nanjing Hanqing Bamboo Industry Co., Ltd. have advantages such as being fumigation-free, high strength, strong load-bearing capacity, strong impact resistance, recyclable, easy to repair, waterproof, mold-proof, and insect-proof, fully utilizing the characteristics and advantages of bamboo material and aligning with the concept of green environmental protection.
In the near future, in addition to pallet products, bamboo boards will also be widely used in various fields such as packaging boxes, vehicle and ship boards, container boards, building formwork, and courtyard beautification. By then, the industrial application value of bamboo will be fully brought into play.
Natural and Rustic: Since ancient times, bamboo has been a symbol of elegance, chastity, and good fortune. In the eyes of poets, bamboo is a green line of verse; in the brush of painters, bamboo is a green scroll; in the hearts of farmers, bamboo is green wealth.
Characteristics of Its Uses and Functions
Protecting Nature: Bamboo is a highly renewable resource with a short growth cycle (only 3-5 years). As long as it is harvested reasonably, it will not damage the ecological environment, but will better promote the regeneration of bamboo resources, protect the environment, and achieve lasting green mountains and sustainable use.
Advocating Nature: Bamboo flooring and bamboo decorative panels cater to modern people's trend of returning to simplicity and advocating nature. Bamboo has clear grain, a beautiful surface, natural color, rustic dignity, a pleasant bamboo fragrance, and an elegant and stylish texture.
Sturdy and Durable: Bamboo flooring retains the inherent excellent characteristics of bamboo material, such as high density, good toughness, and high strength, and has the features of durability, flame retardance, bending resistance, insect resistance, and corrosion resistance. It is not only beautiful but also durable, and is recognized as a new type of decorative material.
The Dietary Therapy or Medicinal Value of Bamboo
The medical information and health dietary therapy information on Huahua Network is for reference only and cannot be used as a basis for diagnosis or medical treatment. Any health issue should be consulted with professional medical personnel, and the treatment of any disease should follow medical advice.
Ultimate flower-protecting mission: Love yourself, start from reality, and strictly follow medical advice. For illness, do not be careless, do not delay, do not give up hope, face it bravely, warm the silent world with love, and care for the flower field in your heart with your heart.
Ingredients
Bamboo shoots are a common delicacy; bamboo seeds are called bamboo rice, and because they are hard to obtain, they are a precious delicacy. In addition to being ornamental, bamboo is also an excellent building material. Bamboo shoots are a delicacy and can be made into dried bamboo shoots or canned bamboo shoots. This mainly manifests as bamboo shoots and dried bamboo shoots. China's excellent main bamboo species for shoots include moso bamboo and early bamboo in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and ma bamboo and green bamboo in the Pearl River basin, Fujian, Taiwan, China, and other places. Bamboo shoots are rich in protein, amino acids, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, and vitamins B1, B2, and C, and are an excellent health vegetable.
The medical content on Huahua Network is for reference only and cannot be regarded as professional advice. Any health issue should be consulted with professional medical personnel.
Medicinal Use: Bamboo green is a traditional Chinese medicinal material for reducing internal heat and cooling the body. The liquid obtained by roasting fresh bamboo slices over fire is called bamboo sap, used to treat cough and resolve phlegm. The underground stem of bamboo is commonly called bamboo rhizome, and its emerging shoots are called gou or bamboo shoots. In the Compendium of Materia Medica, Lu Dian is quoted as saying: "Within a ten-day period it is gou, beyond a ten-day period it is bamboo, hence the character xun follows xun (ten-day period)." This refers to its rapid growth. There are also many kinds of shoots, including winter shoots, spring shoots, and whip shoots, all of which can be used as food. Among the people of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, insect-eaten shoots are used as medicine, called "insect shoots." Tender bamboo leaves, bamboo shavings, and bamboo astringent are all used medicinally.
Medicinal Information on Bamboo
[Nature and Flavor] Sweet, slightly cold, non-toxic.
[Composition] Bamboo shoots contain protein, amino acids, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, and vitamins B1 and B2.
[Functions] Treats diabetes-like thirst, promotes water metabolism, clears the lungs and resolves phlegm. Insect shoots are an effective diuretic, suitable for edema, ascites, swelling of the feet due to beriberi, edema from acute nephritis, wheezing and coughing, diabetes, and thirst with restlessness.
[Edema and Ascites (including ascites caused by nephritis, heart disease, liver disease, and advanced schistosomiasis)]
Insect shoots and aged bottle gourd 60 grams each, decocted in water. Adding 30 grams of winter melon peel is even better. [Pediatric measles, rubella, or early chickenpox, with fever, thirst, and difficult urination] Stew fresh bamboo shoots with crucian carp to make soup and give it to the child to drink; it has the effect of promoting rapid eruption and early recovery.
[Chronic diarrhea, chronic dysentery, and rectal prolapse] Eating rice porridge cooked with fresh bamboo shoots is effective.
[Deficiency restlessness and insomnia] Tender bamboo leaf rolled cores 30 grams, rush pith 3 grams, decocted in water, drink before bed.
[Postpartum deficiency heat with restlessness and heat in the palms and soles] Fresh bamboo shavings and bamboo leaf cores 30 grams each, decocted in water.
[High blood pressure, headache, red face, excessive thirst, and restless sleep at night] Fresh bamboo leaf cores 30-60 grams, Prunella vulgaris 15 grams, sophora flower 9 grams, decocted in water.
[Pediatric head sores, impetigo, and pustular sores]
Small Date and Bamboo Leaf Soup:
According to a local folk prescription, red dates are added to washed bamboo leaves and boiled into soup; it has a cooling effect, and is especially effective for small blisters in the form of red spots on the bodies of children under 10 years old due to excessive internal heat.
Bamboo Blooming. Bamboo Blooming.
Whether in China or India, there are legends that bamboo blooming brings disaster. China has often said, "When bamboo blooms, great disaster will follow," and India also has the legend, "When bamboo blooms, famine occurs."
Once bamboo blooms, nearby bamboo will also bloom one after another, causing the death of large areas of bamboo forest and inevitably causing devastating harm to some animals that rely on bamboo as a main food. The first to suffer is the giant panda.
The saying often repeated by some elderly people, "When bamboo blooms, great disaster will follow," is not merely superstition or rumor. Scientists have found that before some catastrophic droughts, bamboo will bloom on a large scale and wither. It is said that this is because bamboo can sense certain changes in the soil, so it spreads seeds and migrates to suitable new land, or waits in the original place for an appropriate time (such as after the drought). In addition, there is also the phrase "iron tree blooms."
On the other hand, bamboo rice (bamboo seeds) is also excellent food for rodents. Scientists have calculated that when the once-in-50-years bamboo blooming cycle occurs in northeastern India, the number of rats surges 4-fold. The sudden increase in the rat population causes the grain stored in villages to be consumed rapidly, leading to famine. Therefore, some say that the famine occurs only because of the sudden increase in rodents, rather than because of natural disaster.
As for which explanation is true, there is still no definitive conclusion at present.
The flowering cycle of bamboo is quite long, usually ranging from several decades to over a hundred years. The flowers of most bamboo species are dull grass-like in color and shaped like rice ears.
It is known that Cephalostachyum scandens in the Gaoligong Mountains has bright red flowers.
The Cultural Background of Bamboo
Bamboo. It is said that the great painter Zheng Banqiao would not live without bamboo, leaving behind a large number of bamboo paintings and poems praising bamboo. The great poet Su Dongpo left behind the famous saying, "One may eat without meat, but one cannot live without bamboo."
Cultural Significance
Confucius's student Zilu considered himself to be a bamboo of the southern mountains, which after being sharpened could pierce the thick hide of a rhinoceros, meaning that his natural qualities were excellent. The Family Sayings of Confucius says: "The bamboo of the southern mountains, without being bent, is straight by itself; cut it and make arrows, shoot and it reaches far." Records of a Journey to Lingnan: "The people of Lingnan should be ashamed before bamboo. Those who eat use bamboo shoots, those who shelter use bamboo tiles, those who ride use bamboo rafts, those who cook use bamboo firewood, those who clothe themselves use bamboo bark, those who write use bamboo paper, those who wear shoes use bamboo footwear. Truly, one cannot go a single day without this gentleman!" Wang Huizhi lived in an empty house and ordered bamboo to be planted, saying: "How can I go a single day without this gentleman?" [2]. Old Book of Tang: Biography of Li Mi: "Exhaust the bamboo of the southern mountains, and the crimes still cannot be fully written; breach the waves of the Eastern Sea, and the evil still cannot be fully washed away." Wang Bo, Rhapsody on Ci Bamboo: "Like the linked bonds of mother and child, like the fraternal friendship within the household; fearing that standing alone in beauty may bring danger, each one keeps itself in the group." Su Dongpo said, "One may eat without meat, but one cannot live without bamboo. Without meat one becomes thin; without bamboo one becomes vulgar." [3]. Also, in Record of the Ink Lord Hall, he praised bamboo: "Through wind and snow, observe its integrity; among jagged cliffs and rocks, bring forth its chastity. When successful, it flourishes but is not arrogant; when unsuccessful, it becomes thin and worn but is not humiliated. In a group it does not lean; standing alone it does not fear." Wang Dangui's Qin Lou Yue: Ode to Bamboo: "Its nature is chaste and pure; its soft branches and tender leaves are fit to be painted. Fit to be painted, accompanying the thatched cottage, wind, and moon in all four seasons. Lone and lofty with strong integrity, naturally distinct; empty-hearted and forever unwithering. Unwithering, green shade swaying, auspicious tones clear and unmatched."
In Chinese flower-and-bird painting, the Four Gentlemen - plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum - are important subjects, each representing certain virtues. The Northern Song painter Wen Tong was famous far and wide for his bamboo paintings.
Chinese idioms often mention bamboo: green plums and bamboo horse, sweeping through like splitting bamboo, and having a bamboo in the chest. Bamboo, pine, and plum are together called the "Three Friends of Winter." The hollow interior of bamboo was extended by Chinese literati to mean "humble-mindedness." Bai Juyi's Record of Cultivating Bamboo says: "The bamboo heart is empty, and through emptiness it embodies the Way; when a gentleman sees its heart, he thinks of applying himself with humility and receptivity." The nodes of bamboo were extended to mean "moral integrity." Bamboo's cold resistance and evergreen nature were regarded as "unyielding" [4]. Bamboo's tall uprightness was regarded as "lofty." Bamboo's elegant and refined appearance was extended to mean "gentleman."
Legend says that before the invention of firecrackers, people used the crackling sound of burning bamboo to drive away evil spirits. Hence there is the idiom "bamboo announces peace" (bamboo bursts for peace), meaning seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster.
Humanistic Value
Bamboo: It displays integrity; though not thick and strong, it is upright, tough, and tall; it does not fear severe cold or intense heat and remains evergreen through all ages. Bamboo is the embodiment of the gentleman, the gentleman among the "Four Gentlemen." The Seven Virtues of Bamboo: The bamboo body is upright and straight, preferring to break rather than bend; this is called uprightness. Although bamboo has nodes, it does not stop advancing; this is called striving forward. Bamboo is straight outside and hollow within, with a mind like a valley; this is called humble-mindedness. Bamboo has flowers but does not bloom, facing the sky plainly; this is called simplicity. Bamboo stands aloof and independent, supporting heaven and earth; this is called excellence. Although bamboo is called excellent, it is not like the pine; this is called being good in a group. Bamboo carries writings and transmits them through the ages, bearing hardship and complaint; this is called responsibility.
Bamboo Announces Peace. Bamboo: bamboo slips. Bamboo report: an old alternative name for a family letter. Refers to a letter reporting safety. Tang dynasty, Duan Chengshi, Youyang Zazu Continued Collection: Branch Plants Below: "In the north only Tongzi Temple had one clump of bamboo, only a few chi tall. It is said that the temple's chief administrator would daily report the bamboo's safety."
Bamboo Flourishing and Pine Luxuriant. The roots are as stable as bamboo, and the branches and leaves are as luxuriant as a pine tree. Used as a congratulatory phrase for longevity or the completion of a palace or house, and also as a metaphor for family prosperity. Book of Songs, Minor Odes, Si Gan: "Like bamboo flourishing, like pine luxuriant." Ming dynasty, Fan Shiyan, Record of Grinding Loyalty: "May longevity be enjoyed, may bamboo flourish and pine be luxuriant, and may the days and months be long."
Green Plums and Bamboo Horse. Green plums: green mume fruit. Bamboo horse: a bamboo pole ridden as a horse by children. A metaphor for the innocent feelings of boys and girls playing together. Tang dynasty, Li Bai, Ballad of Changgan: "My lover came riding a bamboo horse, around the bed playing with green plums. Living together in Changgan Lane, two little ones without suspicion."
Dense Woods and Tall Bamboo. Tall: long. Dense and tall woods and bamboo groves. Jin dynasty, Wang Xizhi, Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering: "This place has high mountains and steep ridges, dense woods and tall bamboo."
Sweeping Through Like Splitting Bamboo. The situation is like splitting bamboo: after the upper end is split, the lower part separates along with the blade. Describes winning victory after victory without obstruction. Also describes an irresistible momentum. Book of Jin, Biography of Du Yu: "The military prestige has already been aroused, like splitting bamboo; after several nodes, it splits as it meets the blade." Ming dynasty, Shi Nai'an, Water Margin: Chapter 99: "Guan Sheng and the others, riding the momentum, drove straight in, sweeping through like splitting bamboo, and captured Dagu County."
Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. A collective name for seven literati and famous scholars during the Wei and Jin period. Wei Clan Spring and Autumn Annals: "Xi Kang was on friendly terms with Ruan Ji of Chenliu, Shan Tao of Henei, Xiang Xiu of Henan, Ruan Xian the nephew of Ruan Ji, Wang Rong of Langya, and Liu Ling of Pei, and they wandered in the bamboo grove, and were called the Seven Sages."
Pine, Bamboo, and Plum - The Three Friends of Winter. Pine and bamboo pass through winter without withering, and plum endures cold and blooms; they are called the Three Friends of Winter. Ming dynasty Cheng Minzheng wrote Rhapsody on the Painting of the Three Friends of Winter.
Bamboo Mountain Lyrics. Title of a collection of ci poetry. Written by Jiang Jie (style name Bamboo Mountain) at the end of the Song dynasty.
Bamboo Slope Lyrics. Title of a collection of ci poetry. Written by Zhou Zizhi of the Song dynasty. Zhou Zizhi, courtesy name Shaoyin, style name Layman of Bamboo Slope, once flattered Qin Hui, and contemporary opinion held him in low regard.
Bamboo and Silk. Bamboo slips and white silk, referring to books and history. Zhang Xie, Miscellaneous Poems, No. 9: "Wandering thoughts in the ~~ garden, sending words in the forest of brush and ink." Baopuzi, On Immortals: "How much more so the people among the ranked immortals, who fill ~~."
Bamboo Branch Lyrics. A title in Yuefu, Modern Songs. Also called Bamboo Branch. A Tang dynasty Jiaofang tune title. Later used as a cipai title. Sometimes the ci and qu are together called Bamboo Branch. Originally a folk song from the Bayu area (present-day eastern Sichuan). Tang poet Liu Yuxi adapted it into new lyrics based on folk songs, singing of the scenery of the Three Gorges and love between men and women. After this, poets of various dynasties wrote many Bamboo Branch Lyrics, mostly also singing of local customs and love between men and women.
Listening to the Qin at the Bamboo Dock. Full title Qin Youran Listening to the Qin at the Bamboo Dock. A zaju play script. Written by Shi Zizhang of the Yuan dynasty. It tells the story of the Daoist nun Zheng Cailuan playing the qin at a bamboo dock, meeting the scholar Qin Xiuran, and the two falling in love with each other and marrying.
Cultural Symbolism
When culture is mentioned, people naturally think of writing, art, science, and so on, but the emergence and development of culture cannot be separated from a certain natural ecological environment, and is inevitably affected by many factors such as geography, climate, and animal and plant resources. Among the plant resources that have had the deepest influence on Chinese culture, none is more so than bamboo. The British scholar Joseph Needham put it well when he said that East Asian civilization is a "bamboo civilization." Chinese literati endowed bamboo's growth characteristics - hollow center, uprightness, and year-round greenness - with personified spiritual and cultural symbolism such as elegance, purity, humble-mindedness, integrity, and uprightness: "In severe cold and intense heat it is always fresh; rain beats it and wind breaks it, yet it does not bend. In one night it draws itself up a thousand chi; reaching the clouds with proud bones, all the more humble-minded. (Zuo Heshui)" Painting bamboo became an important painting category in Chinese flower-and-bird painting, and Zheng Banqiao of the Qing dynasty in China was world-famous for painting bamboo.
In Chinese gardens ancient and modern, there is almost no garden without bamboo. Living with bamboo, then the secluded bamboo grove brushes the window, and clear qi fills the courtyard; bamboo shadows dance gracefully, their posture fit for painting, and green leaves pass through winter without withering, elegant and unrestrained. Through the ages, "It is valuable in life to have bamboo in one's chest" has become the preference of many literati and refined scholars, who often used plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum to express their own lofty and unconventional tastes, or as a mirror for their own moral character, such as the contemporary poet Zhou Tianhou's Ode to Bamboo: "Bitter integrity is cherished by oneself; after rain there is even less dust. In the cold of the year, discuss the gentleman; emerald green weaves the new spring."
China is the homeland of bamboo. There are about 100 to 1000 or more species of bamboo in the world, while China has 37 genera and about 500 species, mainly in the Sichuan region. Not only are bamboo resources abundant, but the history of cultivating and using bamboo is also long. An ancient folk song, Dan Ge, sings: "Cut bamboo, join bamboo, fly earth, chase meat." This shows that as early as 7000 years ago, our ancestors already used bamboo to make arrowheads, crossbows, and other weapons for entertainment, hunting, or war. Bamboo has formed an indissoluble bond with human cultural life, and in the daily clothing, food, housing, and transportation of the Chinese nation, the graceful figure of bamboo can be found everywhere. The great Song dynasty writer Su Dongpo once exclaimed: "Those who eat use bamboo shoots, those who shelter use bamboo tiles, those who ride use bamboo rafts, those who cook use bamboo firewood, those who clothe themselves use bamboo bark, those who write use bamboo paper, those who wear shoes use bamboo footwear. Truly, one cannot go a single day without this gentleman."
Bamboo: It displays integrity; though not thick and strong, it is upright, tough, and tall; it does not fear severe cold or intense heat and remains evergreen through all ages.
Bamboo is the embodiment of the gentleman and one of the "Four Gentlemen."
Bamboo, plum blossom, and pine are the "Three Friends of Winter." Pine symbolizes enduring evergreen old age, bamboo symbolizes the way of the gentleman, and plum symbolizes icy purity and jade-like cleanliness.
The Ten Virtues of Bamboo
The bamboo body is upright and straight, preferring to break rather than bend, called uprightness; although bamboo has nodes, it does not stop advancing, called striving forward; bamboo is straight outside and open within, with a mind like a valley, called humble-mindedness; bamboo has flowers deeply buried, facing the sky plainly, called simplicity; bamboo blooms once in its life and dies without regret, called dedication; bamboo stands in the wind like jade, supporting heaven and earth, called excellence; although bamboo is called excellent, it is not like the pine, called being good in a group; bamboo's texture is like stone, only then can it become a vessel, called firm nature; bamboo becomes a tally of authority, held by Su Wu, called integrity; bamboo carries writings and transmits them through the ages, bearing hardship and complaint, called responsibility.
When we stroll along a park path, or pass by a riverbank ferry crossing, or tour the deep secluded places of famous mountains and great rivers, we may be happily intoxicated by the beautiful scenery, or perhaps worn out and exhausted by the journey. Suddenly, several plants with strong, upright joints come into view: they stand straight and dignified, yet seem somewhat shy as they lower their heads, bowing and saluting us; when a gentle breeze blows lightly past, that natural swaying up and down looks as if they are bowing to us in respect. [6]
We suddenly feel: nature is also so gracious. We share the same blue sky above our heads and flourish together on the earth, yet they know how to let go of arrogance and live in harmony, and even toward passing strangers, they are so humble and polite...
Related Verses
Ode to Bamboo (Qi dynasty, Xie Tiao)
Before the window a clump of bamboo, clear and green, uniquely wonderful. Southern branches cross with northern leaves, new shoots mingle with old branches. Moonlight, sparse then dense; wind sound, rising then falling. Blue birds fly without hindrance, yellow-beaked young ones peek alone. I only regret the sheath following the wind, root and stem ever apart.
Bamboo (Liu Xiaoxian)
Bamboo grows in the empty wilds, its tip rising a hundred xun into the clouds. No one appreciates its lofty integrity; it vainly holds its chaste heart. Ashamed to be stained with the tears of the Xiang concubines, ashamed to enter the palace qin. Who will make a long flute, and for it pour forth a dragon's chant.
Ode to the Young Bamboo Before the Steps (Chen Dynasty, Zhang Zhengjian)
Emerald clouds gather in clusters at the tips, light blossoms and tender shoots strain toward the sky. Along the winding terrace, crossing branches shed their sheaths again and again; by the steps, sparse leaves force the wind to come. If you would know where it embraces its joints and turns into a dragon, you must seek it on the mountain road at Gebei.
Ode to Bamboo (Tang Dynasty, Li Qiao)
Tall stalks stand by the Chu River's bank, graceful and fair, holding the breath of dawn. White blossoms sway in the wind's shadow, green joints stir with dragon patterns. Leaves sweep the southeastern sun, branches brush the northwestern clouds. Who knows that on the Xiang River, weeping alone, one longs for you.
A Hundred Poems on Bamboo Planted at the Left of the Prefectural Study (Tang Dynasty, Linghu Chu)
By the northern window of my study I planted bamboo, its fresh green newly mirrored on the plain white wall. The blue mist draws near where I walk with my medicine, the green shade reaches deep before my sleeping curtain. The wind startles the dawn leaves like the sound of rain, the moon passes the spring branches as if trailing mist. The old man recalls the mountains and his heart briefly eases; retired from office, he sits at leisure facing that loveliness.
Facing Bamboo at Baisha Lodge on an Autumn Day (Tang Dynasty, Xu Hun)
Rustling as it braves snow and frost, its deep green is unlike that of the Three Xiang.
Sparse shadows shift on the wall as the moon moves, cold sounds fill the hall with wind. Rolling up the curtain, autumn comes even earlier; on a high pillow, the night grows especially long. Suddenly I recall the road by the Qin Stream, where ten thousand stalks are now so cool.
Eating Bamboo Shoots for the First Time, Presented to Those at the Gathering (Tang Dynasty, Li Shangyin)
Tender sheaths and fragrant buds first emerge from the grove; in Yuling their price is weighed as heavy as gold. In the imperial capital, land and sea should hold countless such things, yet who could bear to cut an inch of gold that pierces the clouds?
Ode to Bamboo (Tang Dynasty, Zheng Gu)
Fit for mist, fit for rain, and fit for wind, it brushes the water, hides the village, and mingles with pines. Transplanted, it rustles as it did by the distant temple; washed clean, its sparse clarity reveals the peak before it. Moss breaks along the steps as spring buds burst forth, and around the path the sedge is fine while summer shade grows thick. Blaming the apricot blossoms for their many moods, several branches thread through the emerald and blend in beautifully.
Bamboo in the Mountains on a Spring Day (Tang Dynasty, Pei Shuo)
Several stalks of pale green like the form of dragons, steep and towering, must be made to grow in this place. Countless wildflowers cannot bloom here; half the mountain's cold hue contends with spring.
Ode to Bamboo (Tang Dynasty, Zhang Bi)
The trees' colors reach the clouds as ten thousand leaves unfold; the noble scion never tires of planting them all over the courtyard. Through frost it perfects its integrity, unseen by any; all day it keeps its empty heart, waiting for the phoenix to come. Who would grant it romance to add to song and verse? It pities itself for its elegance, rising above the dust. Behind vermilion gates there is much idle land everywhere, just right for transplanting clouds and tending the emerald moss.
Frosty Bamboo Pavilion (Song Dynasty, Su Shi)
Shedding its sheath, the new bamboo cannot hold itself; its loveliness already bears the bearing of winter's cold. If you would see its stern intent before the frost, you must wait for the autumn wind when its powder falls.
Ode to All That Is in the Garden (Song Dynasty, Su Zhe)
In cold lands bamboo does not grow; even when it grows it often seems ill. I dug up roots and planted them by the secluded steps; how fiercely then the leaves opened. Its lovely snow-and-ice bearing scatters shadows of wind and sun. In its lone depth one sees true splendor; a single stalk rivals a thousand acres. It makes one remember the riverside, where dense and towering it thrives along the cliffs. With no wind the sheaths drift down of themselves, rustling and chirping along the wild path.
New Bamboo (Song Dynasty, Yang Wanli)
The east wind works its cleverness to patch the broken mountain, blowing in overnight and adding several stalks of jade. Half-shedding its brocade robe, still half-wearing it, the sheath dragon does not yet believe it fears the spring cold.
Ode to the New Bamboo of East Lake (Song Dynasty, Lu You)
I thrust in thorns and wove a fence to guard it carefully, raising cold emerald that mirrors the rippling waves. A clear breeze sweeps the ground and autumn arrives first; the red sun crosses the sky and at noon one does not notice. As the sheaths split, one hears a rustling sound; as the tips are released, one first sees the leaves grow distinct. With official duties idle, I want to come here often, and have my pillow and mat follow me everywhere.
Wild Bamboo (Yuan Dynasty, Wu Zhen)
Wild bamboo, wild bamboo, utterly lovely, branches and leaves spread out with true bearing. All its life it has kept itself far from thorns and brambles, climbing walls and cliffs, piercing stone dikes. With empty heart it embraces its joints by the mountain's river, sporting at ease with clear wind and white moon. What of its cold tips a thousand feet high? By the Wei River and the Qi Ao there is much wind and mist.
Song of New Bamboo Shoots (Ming Dynasty, Yue Dai)
The yellow birds fill the grove with unbearable song; beneath the grove the new shoots are level with a person. The spring wind closes the door as mountain hares run; by daylight dew drips and startles the bamboo partridge. Three days of rain and spring has already passed; near the stone bed a few more have been added. They race to raise their heads and horns toward the blue clouds, heedless of the green moss breaking before the steps.
Bamboo and Stone (Qing Dynasty, Zheng Xie)
Biting firmly into the green mountain, never letting go, its roots were set originally in broken rock. Through a thousand grindings and ten thousand blows it stays firm and strong, letting you blow from east, west, south, or north.
Bamboo (Qing Dynasty, Zheng Xie)
One joint after another, a thousand branches gathering ten thousand leaves. I myself do not bloom, to avoid provoking bees and butterflies.
The Flower Language of Bamboo
Through the ages, in the minds of Chinese people, bamboo has been a symbol of steadfast integrity and an ideal of humble, principled character. In Chinese tradition, bamboo symbolizesthe resilience of life, longevity, happiness, and spiritual truth。
Bamboo, elegant and full of spirit, slender and graceful, ever green and unfading, symbolizes eternal youth and youthfulness; in spring (the spring mountain) bamboo is free and upright, clear and refined, with the demeanor of a gentleman; bamboo is hollow, symbolizing humility. Its character is humble and able to hold itself; bamboo's nature is to bend but not break, to break but not snap, symbolizing the principle of being gentle yet firm within, aspiring to the clouds, standing strong against wind and snow, falling yet rising again, its joints always exposed, its tips rising high, a metaphor for lofty integrity; noble and uncommon virtue, born with joints, regarded as a symbol of moral integrity. Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Jiuling praised bamboo, saying, "People respect its high joints, the world knows its humble heart" (from "Harmonizing with Huangmen Lu Shilang's Ode to Bamboo"). Detached, aloof, and upright: the pursuit of character by Chinese literati. Yuan Dynasty poet Yang Zai's "Inscribed on Ink Bamboo": "Its flavor is already detached, its color is not flattering. Growing alone among cliffs and valleys, it has this cloud-piercing spirit."
Bamboo, towering and upright, beautiful and varied, stirs the imagination and evokes deep thought. It is strong and upright, plain and unadorned, neither servile nor overbearing. It "roots in the great earth, drinks deep of sweet springs, and has joints before it emerges from the soil. Its branches stretch across cloud-dreams, its leaves beat the blue sky, and even where it pierces the clouds it remains humble." It is regarded as the embodiment of the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, symbolizing lofty integrity.
In Japan, bamboo is a mark of truth and devotion. Throughout all regions of the East, bamboo has been used as a writing tool; for Buddhist and Daoist writers and artists, bamboo's straight lines and hollow structure carry profoundly symbolic meaning in themselves. Indigenous tribes of South America used bamboo as knives and axes to cut other objects, and also used bamboo to make blowguns and instruments for playing sacred music. Some tall bamboos are greatly worshiped and revered as the tree of life. In Africa, bamboo also holds a very sacred symbolic status, because people use bamboo to perform male circumcision.
Other Information About Bamboo
Bamboo Clappers
Also called "kuaiban shu." One of the forms of storytelling and ballad-singing; during performance, bamboo clappers are struck by hand, accompanying the rhythm briskly.
Bamboo Weaving
Baskets and hampers woven from bamboo strips; the handle portion is a bamboo whip.
Bamboo Flute
A flute made of bamboo.
Qingzhu, a place name, in Linyi City.
Bamboo Raft
A raft bound together from thick bamboo. Also called "bamboo raft."
Bamboo Shop
A shop that sells bamboo.
"Galloping to the bamboo shop to call." — Qing Dynasty, Shao Changheng, "Remaining Drafts of Qingmen"
Bamboo Slips
Bamboo strips used for writing in ancient times.
Bamboo Basket
Drawing water: a metaphor for exerting effort with no result.
1. Tang Erguguai and Tang Chunzao, father and son, year after year drew water with a bamboo basket and came away empty-handed. — Liu Shaotang, "Moth-Eyebrows"
2. Also phrased as "drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain."
Drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain: "drawing water with a bamboo basket" is also phrased as "drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain."
Oh, this venture has come to nothing, like drawing water with a bamboo basket! — Liang Bin, "Keep the Red Flag Flying"
Bamboo Curtain
A curtain made of bamboo, especially one used at a doorway.
Bamboo Grove
Avoiding the sentries in the bamboo grove. — Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang, "Postface"
Bamboo House
A small building constructed mainly with bamboo as the building material.
Hobby Horse
A children's toy, typically a pole with a horse-head model at one end and sometimes a wheel at the other; the child straddles it and pretends to ride a horse. A prop made of bamboo strips, used in the folk dance "bamboo horse lantern."
Bamboo Splints
Flat bamboo strips used for weaving bamboo articles.
Bamboo Tiles
Bamboo tiles refer to mahjong; bamboo articles are objects made from bamboo.
Bamboo Zither
A Malay instrument made from suspended bamboo tubes.
Bamboo Shoots
Tender developing buds sent up from the bamboo's rhizome; once they emerge above ground they are cut as a vegetable, eaten especially by Chinese and Japanese people.
Bamboo Vine
A kind of Smilax with four-angled stems and a base covered in star-shaped chaff-like scales.
Bamboo Tube
A vessel made of bamboo for holding liquids. Carry a bamboo tube and a copper-wire cage. — "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio: The Cricket"
Zhuxi
A pavilion name. Outside the north gate of Yangzhou city.
The finest spot at Zhuxi, the famous city on the Huai's left. — Song Dynasty, Jiang Kui, "Slow Song of Yangzhou"
Bamboo Leaf Green
A venomous snake, green in body, with yellow-white stripes running from below the eyes along both sides of the belly to the tail tip, and a red-brown tail tip. It lives in trees in temperate and tropical regions.
A slightly yellow-green liquor made by steeping various medicinal herbs in Fenjiu as the base liquor.
Arrowroot
A plant of the genus Maranta native to tropical America, a perennial herb with fleshy rhizomes rich in starch, which can be boiled and eaten or used to extract starch; it is cultivated in southern China. A general term for plants of the genus Maranta.
Bamboo Paper: a kind of paper made from tender bamboo as material.
Bamboo shoot soup (bamboo clappers); Bamboo Lady (a hollow, perforated bamboo-woven bed item); bamboo hamper (a woven bamboo carrier box); bamboo sheath (the skin of bamboo shoots; shoot husk); bamboo box (bamboo chest); bamboo whip (a bamboo stick; a split strip used as an instrument of punishment for beating people); bamboo fence (bamboo hedge); bamboo skin (shoot shell); bamboo mother (a bamboo rhizome bearing shoot buds); bamboo craftsman (an artisan who makes bamboo articles); bamboo worker (a handicraftsman who weaves implements from bamboo); bamboo mat (a bedding item woven from bamboo strips); bamboo matting (coarse bamboo mat); bamboo hat (a hat woven from bamboo filaments or strips).
Bamboo Penal Code
Criminal law provisions recorded on bamboo slips.
Bamboo and Silk
Bamboo slips and white silk used by the ancients to record writing.
Bamboo Books
In ancient times, when there was no paper, events were recorded and written on bamboo slips.
Bamboo Musician
A musician who plays bamboo instruments.
Bamboo and Flesh
"Silk" broadly refers to instrumental and vocal music.
Bamboo Pipe
Bamboo wind instruments such as the xiao and the flute.
Bamboo Pictures
Lucky Bamboo Dracaena sanderiana: Lucky Bamboo illustrated guide: how to grow Lucky Bamboo / how to propagate Lucky Bamboo
Lucky Bamboo ProfileLucky Bamboo Dracaena sanderiana
Lucky Bamboo cultivation methods and precautions; introduction to Lucky Bamboo
Lucky Bamboo, also known as lily bamboo and fortune bamboo, is a foliage flower greatly loved by people in recent years. Lucky Bamboo can be grown both in water and in pots; comparatively, pot cultivation lasts longer than water cultivation, grows more vigorously, and is easier to manage. Lucky Bamboo is a shade plant and rarely blooms; blooming means it can bring you good luck. It grows coarsely and vigorously, with upright stems and deep green leaves, evergreen in winter and summer. Whether potted or with stems cut and placed in a vase, or processed into "fortune bamboo" or "curved bamboo," it appears sparse, upright, and noble, with slender stems and leaves, soft and elegant, with a free and easy posture, rich in bamboo charm, and exceptionally high ornamental value. The beauty of Lucky Bamboo is inseparable from its auspicious name. It has slender, free leaves and emerald leaf color; its stem nodes show features resembling bamboo joints, but it is not true bamboo. China has the well-wishing phrase "when flowers bloom, prosperity comes; when bamboo is reported, peace prevails." Because Lucky Bamboo's stems and leaves are slender, soft, and elegant, extremely rich in bamboo charm, it is much loved by people. Lucky Bamboo is easy to manage, has few pests and diseases, is easy to cultivate, and symbolizes "great good fortune and prosperity."
Lucky Bamboo is a tropical evergreen foliage flower; it likes a high-temperature, high-humidity growing environment, likes light yet can tolerate shade, likes moisture yet can tolerate drought, and can be kept indoors for a long time without deliberate care; as long as there is enough water it will continue to grow. It can be said to be a coarsely grown, coarsely raised crop that generally needs no deliberate care to grow normally. But in order to keep it full of vigorous vitality, proper care is very necessary. Lucky Bamboo dreads cold and frost most; generally, at a temperature of around zero degrees and placed outdoors, it will freeze to death. This is the reason it can be grown outdoors in greenhouses in southern China, while in the north it can only be grown indoors. At the same time, if left outdoors under direct strong light, it grows slowly. Therefore, if it is to be grown in large quantities as a cash crop, it is necessary to set up posts and build a shed, cover the top with shade netting, and carry out reasonable fertilizer and water management, so it can grow smoothly. The umbel has 3 to 10 flowers borne in the leaf axils or opposite the upper leaves, with 6 perianth parts, a bell-shaped corolla, and purple color. The berry is nearly spherical and black. Lucky Bamboo is a perennial evergreen herb, with plant height reaching 1.5 to 2.5 m or more; for commercial and ornamental purposes, a cultivated height of 80 to 100 cm is suitable. It is mostly cultivated in gardens, and also occurs wild; it likes shady, damp conditions, with thick stems and leaves and dark green leaves, and is mainly used as an ornamental plant. Lucky Bamboo can be potted or water-grown.
Morphological Characteristics of Lucky Bamboo
An evergreen subshrub-like plant. Plant height over 1 m; the plant is slender, upright, with branching on the upper part. The rhizome creeps horizontally and is nodular. Leaves alternate or nearly opposite, papery, long lanceolate, with 3 to 7 obvious main veins, short petioles, and deep green color. The umbel has 3 to 10 flowers borne in the leaf axils or opposite the upper leaves, with 6 perianth parts, a bell-shaped corolla, and purple color. The berry is nearly spherical and black. Lucky Bamboo is a perennial evergreen herb, with plant height reaching 1.5 to 2.5 m or more; for commercial and ornamental purposes, a cultivated height of 80 to 100 cm is suitable. It is mostly cultivated in gardens, and also occurs wild; it likes shady, damp conditions, with thick stems and leaves and dark green leaves, and is mainly used as an ornamental plant. Planting Lucky Bamboo has the advantages of high yield and high economic benefit. At present, the general market price can reach 3 to 5 yuan or more per plant, 18,000 to 25,000 plants can be planted per mu, and the annual output value per mu can reach 30,000 to 50,000 yuan. Cultivation of Lucky Bamboo begins at Awakening of Insects in spring and can be harvested in mid-to-late December. This variety is easy to manage; loamy, fertile rice fields or sloping land can be chosen for cultivation.
Ecological Habits of Lucky Bamboo
Lucky Bamboo likes shady, damp, high temperatures, tolerates shade, waterlogging, strong fertility, and has strong cold resistance; it likes a semi-shaded environment. It is suitable for growing in well-drained sandy soil or semi-muddy sand and alluvial clay, with a suitable growing temperature of 20-28°C; it can tolerate a low temperature of 2-3°C, but in winter it must be protected from frost. In the high-temperature, high-humidity seasons of summer and autumn, conditions are very favorable for Lucky Bamboo's growth, and this is its best growing period. It is not strict about light and is suitable for growing under bright, scattered light; too strong light or exposure to the sun can cause leaves to turn yellow, lose green color, and grow slowly. So when planting in the field, a shade shed with 1.7-1.8 m high shade netting should be built, with a shading rate of 75% being suitable, creating a half-shade, scattered-light environment. Especially from April to September, avoid direct strong light, exposure, or excessive drought, otherwise the leaf surface easily becomes rough, scorched, and weak-growing, and the leaves lack luster, reducing ornamental value. During the growing season, the soil should be kept moist regularly, and water should often be sprayed or sprinkled on the leaf surface to increase air humidity; after heavy rain, accumulated water in the field should be drained to prevent lodging. In winter, pay attention to cold protection and frost protection; below 10°C the leaves will turn yellow and wither. At this time, the soil should be alternately dry and moist, but should not be too dry or too wet; reduce watering and stop fertilizing.
Lucky Bamboo is an evergreen small tree with upright stems, a dainty plant form, and thick, strong stems reaching over 2 m tall. Its leaves are long lanceolate, deep green, and it grows robustly and is easy to keep alive in water. Its varieties include green-leaf, green-leaf with white edges (called silver edge), green-leaf with yellow edges (called gold edge), and green-leaf with silver center (called silver center). Green-leaf Lucky Bamboo is also called ten-thousand-year bamboo; its leaves are deep green, its growth is vigorous, and it is relatively widely cultivated. It is generally mostly used for home vase arrangements or pot cultivation, especially the "pagoda-shaped" form that spread from Taiwan, China, also known as "fortune bamboo," which has high ornamental value and is quite popular on the international market.
Lucky Bamboo grows coarsely and vigorously, with upright stems and deep green leaves, evergreen in winter and summer. Whether potted or with stems cut and placed in a vase, or processed into "fortune bamboo" or "curved bamboo," it appears sparse, upright, and noble, with slender stems and leaves, soft and elegant, with a free and easy posture, rich in bamboo charm, and exceptionally high ornamental value.
Distribution Range of Lucky Bamboo
Native to the Canary Islands and the tropical regions of Africa and Asia. It was introduced into China in large quantities in the late 1980s.
Propagation Methods of Lucky Bamboo
Lucky Bamboo has strong growth and strong ability to send out roots and sprout buds; cutting propagation is often used, and it can be carried out throughout the year as long as the temperature is suitable. Generally, leaf-free stem segments are cut as cuttings, 5-10 cm long, preferably with 3 internodes, and inserted into a sand bed or semi-muddy sandy soil. In the south, in spring and autumn, roots and buds generally sprout in 25-30 days, and they can be potted or transplanted to the field in 35 days. Water cuttings can also root, and soilless cultivation can also be carried out. In recent years, various places in Guangdong have used top ear branches (that is, tender stems) cut into 20-25 cm lengths and inserted directly into sandy loam or semi-muddy sand or alluvial clay fields; after careful tending and cultivation, they can be cut for vase use by the Spring Festival of that year. In areas south of Guangzhou, such as farmers in Haiyan Town, Taishan City, they are directly inserted into the field in spring and autumn. It is also possible in October-December to use top ear branches or internode top seedlings or lateral bud top ears cut into 15-20 cm cuttings and inserted into coarse sand or semi-muddy sand fields, burying 2 nodes in the soil, watering once a day, keeping the soil moist; they generally root in 35-45 days. Spring cutting is most suitable from late January (after Great Cold) to mid-to-late February (around Rain Water), when they can be directly cut in the open field, generally rooting in 30-35 days. They can also be cut from mid-March to early April (Spring Equinox to Qingming); it is best to plant in late March, because during this period the temperature gradually rises and humidity is suitable; after cutting, they can root in about 7-15 days, with a survival rate of 100%, and if well managed they can be marketed that same year.
Lucky Bamboo is strongly resistant to moisture and waterlogging; during the growing period, moist conditions are suitable, and the furrow should maintain a shallow water layer. In high temperature and drought, water should be irrigated into the furrow, and water sprinkled to lower temperature and preserve moisture, so that the plants grow vigorously. Each time fertilizer is applied, a thin watering should be given once to promote fertilizer dissolution so the roots can absorb fertilizer quickly. When heavy rain or torrential rain occurs, accumulated water in the field should be drained, and fertilizer should not be applied, to prevent disease occurrence. Pay attention to typhoon attacks, reinforce the shade shed, and use bamboo poles to steady the plants and prevent lodging. When dry north winds blow in winter, the soil should be kept moist, with water sprinkled or irrigated into the furrow.
Potted Care
Lucky bamboo can be potted in a mix of leaf mold, garden soil and river sand, or in a growing medium blended from coconut coir, leaf mold and coal cinder ash with a small amount of chicken manure, peanut meal and compound fertilizer. It is best to plant 3-6 stems per pot. For plants that have rooted after cutting, the key is to control temperature and humidity well. During the growing season, keep the potting soil constantly moist and never let it dry out; especially in midsummer, mist the leaves often, because excessive dryness will cause the leaf tips and leaves to dry up. In winter the potting soil should not be too wet, but the leaves should still be misted regularly, and measures against cold and frost should be taken to prevent the leaves from yellowing, shriveling and dropping. Potted lucky bamboo should be repotted and given fresh soil every 2-3 years; apply a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer once every 20-25 days, keep the potting soil moist, and prevent the leaf tips from drying out. A balcony facing away from the north and toward the sun is a good spot. In spring and autumn, give it a little more light, 3-4 hours of sunlight a day, to keep the leaves brightly colored. In summer and autumn, shade it appropriately and mist once a day to wash dust off the leaves, so that it grows more vigorously and the foliage is greener.
Field Cultivation
Lucky bamboo is highly tolerant of fertilizer and likes high nitrogen, high phosphorus and high potassium. Fertilize on the principle of light at first, heavy in the middle and light at the end. For field planting, choose deep, fertile sandy loam or semi-muddy sandy soil, or alluvial clay. First plow the soil deeply and turn it twice, then form beds for planting, with a bed width of 1.2-1.5 m; apply 75-100 kg of phosphate fertilizer per mu on the bed surface, with a ridge depth of 20-30 cm and a ridge bottom width of 40-50 cm, a row spacing of 23 cm and a plant spacing of 16 cm. Generally about 13,000-16,000 plants can be planted per mu.
When the plants have 7-8 roots and the roots are 5-6 cm long, apply a fast-acting nitrogen fertilizer once every 15 days during the seedling stage, at 15-17.5 kg of urea, 15 kg of potash fertilizer and 25 kg of phosphate fertilizer per mu. Or apply 35-40 kg of a compound fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N: 15, P: 15, K: 15), or drench with 2000 kg of decomposed human manure and urine water fertilizer, to promote root growth, leaf growth and thick, sturdy stems. During the early growth stage, loosen the soil appropriately and remove weeds in time. From April to July, nitrogen fertilizer should predominate, together with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers; apply a sulfur compound fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium 1-2 times a month, at 40-50 kg per mu, to promote stem and leaf elongation and thickness. In May and June, peanut meal can be applied once, at 40-50 kg per mu, either composted and drenched or crushed and broadcast, along with 50 kg of phosphate fertilizer. Or apply 600-800 kg of decomposed chicken manure. From August to September, top-dress as appropriate according to the growth of the lucky bamboo, mainly with compound fertilizer and less nitrogen fertilizer, to prevent excessive leaf growth. More phosphorus and potassium fertilizers and foliar fertilizers should be added. Spray a foliar fertilizer of 3% urea + 5% monopotassium phosphate + Lüwang + plant protection agents + Yunda-120, etc. once every 10-15 days, to promote thick, sturdy stems, height growth, thick leaves and a dark, glossy green leaf color.
Bottle Water Culture
1. Before putting the cuttings into the bottle, remove the leaves from the base of the cuttings and cut the base at a slant with a knife; the cut should be smooth to help absorb water and nutrients. Change the clean water once every 3-4 days, and do not move the position or change the direction within 10 days; after about 15 days the lucky bamboo will grow silvery-white fibrous roots.
2. After rooting, do not change the water; only top up the water promptly after it evaporates and decreases. Frequent water changes easily cause the leaves to yellow and wither.
3. After the lucky bamboo has rooted, apply a small amount of compound chemical fertilizer in time, and the leaves will be glossy green and the stems thick and sturdy. If no fertilizer is applied for a long time, the plant grows weak and the leaves tend to turn yellow. But do not apply too much fertilizer, to avoid "burning the roots" or causing excessive growth. In spring and autumn, apply a compound chemical fertilizer once a month. According to reference materials, to prevent excessive growth in water-cultured lucky bamboo, do not apply chemical fertilizer; it is best to inject a few drops of brandy into the bottle about every 3 weeks, add a small amount of nutrient solution, and this will keep the leaves emerald green.
4. Do not place lucky bamboo next to a television or in places constantly blown by an air conditioner or electric fan, to avoid the leaf tips and leaf edges drying up.
Variety Classification of Lucky Bamboo
Today there are 4 relatively common varieties of lucky bamboo, namely golden-heart lucky bamboo, silver-heart lucky bamboo, silver-edge lucky bamboo and golden-edge lucky bamboo. Different types have different characteristics and suit homes of different styles as decoration.
Golden-Heart Lucky Bamboo
The middle part of the plant has greenish-yellow or golden-yellow longitudinal stripes, which is quite distinctive; the lucky bamboo plant is relatively thick and sturdy, with dark green leaves.
Silver-Heart Lucky Bamboo
Unlike golden-heart lucky bamboo, the center of the leaf of this lucky bamboo has a silvery-white longitudinal stripe.
Silver-Edge Lucky Bamboo
The green leaf has a broad silvery-white band, or border, along its edge, very obvious and eye-catching.
Golden-Edge Lucky Bamboo
Together with silver-edge lucky bamboo, it forms a pair of sister varieties; the difference is that the leaf-edge border is golden yellow.
Ornamental Varieties
Lucky Bamboo Tower
Lucky bamboo tower is also called fortune tower, bamboo tower or pagoda bamboo. It came from Taiwan, China, has high ornamental value and is quite popular on the market; it has now been fashionable for more than ten years. Because packaging and transport costs are relatively high, exported lucky bamboo towers are mostly products of two to five tiers.
Curved Bamboo
Curved bamboo, also called fortune-turning bamboo. This product is a new variety that only began to become popular in the last two or three years; it was invented and promoted by flower growers in Haiyan Town, Taishan City, Guangdong Province, and requires a great deal of manpower in the cultivation and processing process, so its production cost is relatively high. However, because its shapes vary greatly (spiral, heart-shaped, figure-8, etc.), it is highly ornamental when combined, and people hope it can turn good fortune their way, so it is deeply loved; its market share is above that of lucky bamboo towers, and it is currently the mainstream lucky bamboo product on the market. The region with the most mature curved bamboo technology in the country is Haiyan Town, Taishan City, Guangdong Province.
Bamboo Cage
Bamboo cage: during cultivation it is artificially woven into a cage shape, taking the meaning of wealth and lingering affection, the pig cage entering water, and abundant wealth flowing in. Generally, only after it has rooted in the tray and grown to a certain height are the lower bamboo leaves peeled off, keeping the leaves and buds of the top 20 cm-30 cm, before it can be woven. Some people, seeking quick profit, weave cages for sale from long branches that have just been planted and have not yet rooted, which makes the top leaves easily wither and yellow; this cheats consumers and is truly inadvisable.
Straight Branches
For straight branches, the material selected is generally 0.8 cm or more in diameter, and different lengths are cut according to the requirements of different merchants. Several branches are tied into a bundle or inserted separately in a vase; the shape is lively, and after the top buds of each branch open into leaves it looks even more full of vitality, with a strong air of rising step by step.
Thousand-Hand Fortune Tray
First, several lucky bamboo branches are planted in a regular pattern in a tray, and during cultivation they are artificially woven into a shape like the Thousand-Hand Guanyin, meaning good fortune and auspiciousness.
Bamboo Basket
Straight branches are tied into the base of the basket, and two 7-shaped curved bamboo pieces are used as the basket handle; two O-shaped curved bamboo pieces can also be added as decoration. Of course, this shape has no fixed format, and creative artistic shapes can be made according to various needs.
Vase
It is mainly tied from straight branches, with a space left in the middle for inserting flowers, and curved bamboo can also be used as a foil. Some are also woven from straight branches into a vase-shaped bamboo cage.
Processing Steps of Lucky Bamboo
High-quality finished lucky bamboo must go through repeated selection and be processed in strict accordance with each step.
Processing Lucky Bamboo Tower
1. Remove the leaves from the raw bamboo harvested in the field and wash it in clean water.
2. Use scissors to cut the bamboo into sections, classify and bundle the bamboo stems with strong vitality according to length, and carry out strict drug disinfection, sterilization and mold removal. This determines whether the bamboo stems will deteriorate or die later.
3. Select high-quality bamboo stems and put them into a greenhouse to sprout. During the sprouting process, the room temperature and humidity must be well controlled.
4. Carefully select the sprouted bamboo stems and bundle and process them; the buds of the same product must be of consistent length.
5. Care for the finished product and pack it for shipment from the factory.
Processing Curved Bamboo
1. Remove the leaves from the raw bamboo harvested in the field and wash it in clean water.
2. Use sharp scissors to cut the bamboo material, classify and bundle it according to the diameter and length of the bamboo, generally 10 pieces per bundle (not absolute).
3. Carry out strict drug disinfection, sterilization and mold removal to ensure the bamboo branches do not deteriorate.
4. Put the bamboo bundles by category into a greenhouse for sprouting and root promotion. Take care to control the room temperature and humidity well.
5. Care for the finished product and pack it for shipment from the factory.
Note: The processing steps for other varieties are much the same as the above, but the step of drug disinfection, sterilization and mold removal must never be omitted.
Cultivation Techniques of Lucky Bamboo: Soil Culture
It likes shady, humid and high-temperature conditions, tolerates waterlogging, is highly tolerant of fertilizer and strongly resistant to cold; it likes a semi-shaded environment. It is suitable for growing in well-drained sandy soil or semi-muddy sandy and alluvial clay soil. The suitable growth temperature is 20-28°C, and it can tolerate a low temperature of 2-3°C, but in winter it must be protected from frost. In the hot, humid summer and autumn seasons, conditions are very favorable for the growth of lucky bamboo, and this is its best growing period. It is not strict about light and is suitable for growing in bright diffused light; too strong light or exposure to the sun will cause the leaves to turn yellow, lose green color and grow slowly.
Therefore, for field planting, a shade net canopy 1.7-1.8 m high should be set up, with a shading rate of 75% being appropriate, to create an environment of semi-shade and diffused light. Especially from April to September, avoid direct strong light, sun exposure or excessive drought, otherwise the leaf surface easily becomes rough, scorched, weak in growth and lacking luster, reducing its ornamental value. During the growing season, keep the soil moist at all times, and often mist or sprinkle water on the leaves to increase air humidity; in heavy rain, drain the field water clearly to prevent lodging. In winter, pay attention to cold and frost protection; below 10°C the leaves will yellow and wither. At this time, the soil should be alternately dry and moist, but not drought-stricken or overly wet; reduce watering and stop fertilizing.
Lucky bamboo has strong growth and strong root and bud sprouting ability, and is often propagated by cuttings; as long as the temperature is suitable, it can be done throughout the year. Generally, cut leafless stem sections as cuttings, 5-10 cm long, preferably with 3 nodes, and insert them in a sand bed or semi-muddy sandy soil. In the south, in spring and autumn, roots and buds generally sprout in 25-30 days, and in 35 days they can be put on trays or transplanted to the field.
Water Cuttings
Water cuttings can also root, and soilless cultivation is also possible. In various places in Guangdong in recent years, top ear branches (that is, tender stems) have been cut into 20-25
cm and inserted directly into sandy loam or semi-muddy sandy, alluvial clay fields; after careful tending and planting, they can be cut for bottle use at the Spring Festival of the same year. In areas south of Guangzhou, such as where farmers in Haiyan Town, Taishan City directly insert them into the field in spring and autumn, they can also be cut in October-December from top ear branches or internodal top shoots or lateral bud top ears into 15-20 cm cuttings, inserted into coarse sand or semi-muddy sandy fields, buried in the soil for 2 nodes, watered once a day to keep the soil moist; generally they can root in 35-45 days.
Spring cuttings are most suitably taken from late January (after Great Cold) to mid-to-late February (around Rain Water), and can be inserted directly in the open field, generally rooting in 30-35 days. They can also be taken from mid-March to early April (Spring Equinox to Clear and Bright); it is best to plant in late March, because during this period the temperature gradually rises and the humidity is suitable; after insertion they can root in about 7-15 days, with a survival rate of 100%, and with good management they can be marketed the same year.
Shading
Building a shade shed means covering with a shade net. Around the rice field, use wooden posts or cement stakes to build a frame; the wooden posts are required to be 2.4 m high and buried 0.4 m deep. If four wooden posts (or cement posts) are used per 20 sq m, about 30-35 wooden posts are needed per mu, and the top of the shed is tied tightly with iron wire or nylon rope. Then, at 10 rolls of plastic shade net per mu (width 1.5 m/100 m, 55 yuan/roll), cover for shade, and tie it firmly all around with nylon rope.
Rational Close Planting
When preparing the land, the bed surface height is 15-20 cm, the bed surface width is 120-150 cm and the bed ditch is 25 cm. Apply 30 loads of decomposed farmyard manure per mu and level it thoroughly, then insert the seedlings. The planting specification is 8×5 cun or 6×5 cun; more than 15,000-20,000 plants can be planted per mu. Generally, do not plant too densely; a planting depth of 2.5-3.5 cm is good (that is, with seedling sections of 4 nodes, inserting 2 nodes is enough), keeping appropriate space to allow ventilation and light transmission.
Scientific Fertilization
Lucky bamboo can grow on sloping land or semi-dry paddy fields alike; this is to speed up its growth, shorten the production cycle and improve economic returns.
1. Apply sufficient base fertilizer: when inserting, apply Jinzhi Yuye (rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, etc.) as a base fertilizer, then insert.
2. Apply seedling fertilizer appropriately: 20 days after planting, the plant begins to send out new roots; drench once with 30-40 loads of manure water per mu. After 30-40 days, according to the growth of the seedlings, top-dress once with a seedling-promoting fertilizer, generally mainly compound fertilizer, at 15-20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu, and earth up after application. When the plant grows to 35-45 cm high, its nutrient needs also increase, and this is the stage when the plant begins to grow vigorously; therefore, top-dressing at this stage should be heavy, with 25-30 kg of compound fertilizer and 10-15 kg of urea per mu being appropriate. At the same time, foliar fertilizer can be sprayed in combination, using plant growth regulators such as Xinzhi Su or Penshibao, to promote balanced growth, lush leaves and thick stems and improve stress resistance.
Pest Control
When planting lucky bamboo, pay attention to draining waterlogging on rainy days, preventing drought on dry days and preventing frost on cold days. In drought, pay attention to running horse water to keep the field bed surface moist. In lucky bamboo fields covered with shade nets, adult Lepidoptera have difficulty flying in to lay eggs and reproduce, so there are fewer pests; only a small amount of stem borers were found, and no diseases were found. From cultivation in early March to harvest in mid-to-late December, spraying insecticide only twice is enough.
Cultivation Essentials
1. Remove leaves from the base and cut a slanted opening: before putting into the vase, remove the leaves from the base of the cuttings and use a sharp knife to cut the base into a slanted opening; the cut should be smooth to increase the area for absorbing water and nutrients. Change the clean water once every 3 to 4 days; a few small pieces of charcoal can be put in to prevent rot. Do not move the position or change the direction within 10 days; after about 15 days, silvery-white fibrous roots will grow.
2. Change water to adding water: after rooting, do not change the water; only top up the water promptly after it evaporates. Frequent water changes easily cause yellow leaves and withered branches. The water added is best well water; if tap water is used, it should first be stored in a container for one day. The water should be kept clean and fresh; do not use dirty water, hard water or water mixed with oil, otherwise the roots will easily rot.
3. Fertilize in time: to prevent excessive growth in water-cultured lucky bamboo, do not apply chemical fertilizer; it is best to inject a few drops of brandy into the bottle about every 3 weeks and add a small amount of nutrient solution. You can also dissolve half an aspirin tablet crushed into powder or one VC tablet in 500 g of water and drip a few drops in when adding water; this will keep the leaves emerald green (no need once roots have grown).
4. Avoid wind: do not place lucky bamboo next to a television or in places constantly blown by an air conditioner or electric fan, to avoid the leaf tips and leaf edges drying up.
Cultivation Tips
In northern China, the growing season for lucky bamboo is from April to October. Keep the potting soil moist and apply a humic acid liquid fertilizer once every half month. In summer, if cared for outdoors, shade it; too strong light will turn the leaves yellow, and a north-facing balcony or a spot in light shade is better. In dry weather, sprinkle water on the ground and leaves 1 to 2 times a day. From November to March of the following year, care for it indoors, placing it in a sunny spot in front of a south-facing window; above 10°C it can grow slowly. In spring, from March to April, repot and change the soil; the growing medium can be made from peat soil plus 50% garden soil. First place 2 cm to 3 cm of ceramsite or coarse gravel at the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer, then add the growing medium. After planting, keep the potting soil slightly moist; once new shoots emerge, normal water and fertilizer management can be carried out. After about two years of cultivation, cut the stem and replant; the plant can be cut leaving 5 to 6 nodes, and the cut-off part can be used for cuttings or water culture.
The tied and shaped "lucky bamboo tower" is mostly water-cultured. On ordinary days it should be placed in a bright spot indoors. When the temperature is low, change the water once every 7 to 10 days; in the peak growing seasons of spring and autumn, change the water once every 3 to 5 days, and a complete-element compound fertilizer can be added to the water. In the high-temperature period of summer, it is best to use cooled boiled water for water culture, to avoid root rot or the growth of algae. Stop fertilizing in winter. In severe cold seasons, water culture in northern interiors without heating facilities is prone to freezing damage; in early October it can be planted in river sand, and when it is cold, cover the whole pot with a plastic bag and place it indoors where cold wind cannot reach it; it can overwinter safely at around 5°C.
In spring, it can be potted in a growing medium or washed free of river sand and grown in water. During care, if there are rotten stems or roots, remove them promptly, soak the roots and stems in a 1000-fold aqueous solution of 75% chlorothalonil for 30 minutes, rinse with clean water and continue water culture. If the plant is already very weak, it should be planted in soil to restore its vigor.
Water-cultured lucky bamboo likes stale water; after rooting, do not change the water. Only top up the water promptly after it evaporates and decreases. Frequent water changes easily cause yellow leaves and withered branches. To prevent excessive growth, do not apply chemical fertilizer; it is best to inject a few drops of brandy into the bottle about every 3 weeks, add a small amount of nutrient solution, and this will keep the leaves emerald green.
After soil-cultured plants have rooted, apply a small amount of compound chemical fertilizer in time, and the branches will grow thick and sturdy and the leaves glossy green. In spring and autumn, apply compound fertilizer once a month.
Do not place lucky bamboo next to a television or in places constantly blown by an air conditioner, to avoid the leaf tips and leaf edges drying up.
Propagation Tips
In spring, cut the cut-off stems into leafless stem nodes 5 cm to 10 cm long, or cut the base tips, which tend to dry up. Cut branches with stem tips that have partially grown in long-term indoor shade, insert them in clean coarse river sand, water thoroughly, cover with a plastic bag, keep the medium moist, and place in a bright spot indoors; they can root in about 25 days. Or insert the cut branches into water; at 25°C they can root in about half a month.
Special Reminder
In the north, it is better to buy lucky bamboo in spring, so that after purchase it enters its suitable growing period. If there are heating facilities in winter, it can also be bought before the New Year festival. For potted plants, choose robust plants with thick, glossy green leaves, bright golden-edge stripes, no dry tips, no bare lower stems, a plant height of under 30 cm and 3 to 6 branches. For water-cultured plants of various shapes, choose plants with evenly thick stems, a graceful shape and no rot at the base or in the root system. In particular, note that lucky bamboo grows poorly in alkaline soil and dry climates, with thin, weak leaves and dull, lusterless leaf color; this should be kept in mind.
Winter Cultivation
The suitable temperature for lucky bamboo growth is 22°C-25°C; it does not tolerate high temperatures, and growth slows when the temperature exceeds 32°C. During overwintering, the room temperature should be kept above 10°C; stop fertilizing and control watering, and it can overwinter safely. Below 13°C the plant goes dormant and stops growing. When the temperature is too low, because the root system absorbs insufficient water, yellow-brown patches appear at the leaf tips and leaf edges.
It also depends on what cultivation method your lucky bamboo uses. At present there are three main cultivation methods for lucky bamboo: first, soil culture; second, water culture; third, bottle culture. For water culture, in winter you may change the clean water about once a week as appropriate.
In winter, prevent freezing damage; in the north do not place it outdoors, and the indoor temperature should preferably not be lower than 10°C. Otherwise the leaves easily turn yellow. For water culture, avoid the water freezing and freezing the roots.
It is best to place it in a spot with sufficient light. For bottle water culture of lucky bamboo, the following key points should be grasped:
1. Before putting in, remove the leaves from the base of the cuttings and use a sharp knife to cut the base into a slanted opening; the cut should be smooth to help absorb water and nutrients. Change the clean water once every 3-4 days, and do not move the position or change the direction within 10 days; after about 15 days, snow-white fibrous roots can grow.
2. After rooting, do not change the water; only top up the water promptly after it evaporates and decreases. Frequent water changes easily cause yellow leaves and withered branches.
3. After rooting, apply a small amount of compound chemical fertilizer in time, and the leaves will be glossy green and the branches thick and sturdy. If no fertilizer is applied for a long time, the plant grows weak and the leaf color easily turns yellow. But do not apply too much fertilizer, to avoid "burning the roots" or causing excessive growth. In spring and autumn, apply a compound chemical fertilizer once a month. According to reference materials, to prevent excessive growth in water-cultured lucky bamboo, do not apply chemical fertilizer; it is best to inject a few drops of brandy into the bottle about every 3 weeks, add a small amount of nutrient solution, and this will keep the leaves emerald green.
4. Do not place lucky bamboo next to a television or in places constantly blown by an air conditioner or electric fan, to avoid the leaf tips and leaf edges drying up. How to keep lucky bamboo in winter is not so frightening; many netizens say that once winter comes, lucky bamboo easily dies. After reading the above knowledge on how to keep lucky bamboo in winter, deaths should no longer occur.
Disease Control of Lucky Bamboo
Lucky Bamboo Anthracnose
This is a common disease, occurring fairly widely, and is a serious disease harming lucky bamboo in the south. Because the temperature was high last winter and this spring and the drought lasted a long time, lucky bamboo planted early in Zhanjiang, Guangzhou, Taishan and other areas of Guangdong has already grown luxuriantly. According to many flower growers, many lucky bamboo plants have leaf tips to leaf blades turning dry and withered, and continually spreading and expanding to the upper leaves; because of the long period of drought and high temperature, the arrival of rainfall led to an outbreak of the disease. Diagnosis showed it was an epidemic of lucky bamboo anthracnose doing the damage, and it became epidemic early in mid-March.
[Symptoms] The disease mostly begins at the leaf tip or leaf edge and on the leaf blade. In the early stage, the diseased part shows water-soaked dark green irregular lesions, which gradually spread and expand to the upper leaves; in the middle stage they are semicircular to irregular, with a dark brown edge and an obvious boundary; in the late stage the outer edge of the leaf lesion has a yellow halo, and the center of the spot is grayish-brown or grayish-white to yellowish-brown. The concentric rings on the spot surface are obvious or not obvious, and small black dots appear on the lesions; the leaf begins to gradually turn yellow and die. Once the lesions spread and expand to the leaf blade, tender leaf buds, main stem and leaf stem base, when the disease is severe, the stems and leaves will rapidly wilt and die. Under weather conditions of continuous overcast rain and much fog and dew, the diseased leaves spread, the plant grows poorly, and the effect of viewing the foliage is seriously affected.
[Control Methods] Strengthen the care and management of lucky bamboo; do not plant too densely; take care to avoid freezing injury and frost injury; irrigate moistly, fertilize rationally, and apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to promote growth and improve disease resistance. In winter and spring, cut off diseased leaves and clear away dead leaves, and burn them in a centralized way to reduce the incidence, and spread quicklime once to sterilize and disinfect the soil; or spray once with a 500-fold solution of 50% compound carbendazim to prevent disease, with fairly good preventive effect. Improve the permeability of the field or garden; for open-field cultivation, pay attention to digging ditches after rain to drain accumulated water and reduce field humidity, and do not apply too much nitrogen fertilizer. During the growing period, set up shade nets to reduce high-temperature strong-light exposure. Promptly kill spiders, longhorn beetles, leaf mites, scale insects, etc., to reduce transmission vectors.
When diseased plants are found, spray promptly to control the disease. In the early stage of the disease, alternately spray 75% chlorothalonil + 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder (1:1) 600-
800-fold solution, or 50% compound sulfur-benzimidazole 800-fold or 50% Kasugamycin wettable powder 600-800-fold solution, or 12.5% emulsifiable concentrate Jiaobantu 1000-1500-fold solution, 25% Tanteling wettable powder 500-fold solution, or 50% anthracnose Fumei wettable powder 500-fold, 50% Shibaogong wettable powder 1000-fold solution, or 75% chlorothalonil + 70% Daigaole (1:1) 1000-1200-fold solution; the control effect is good. The above agents should be used alternately, once every 7 days, spraying 3-4 times in succession. Generally, spray promptly before or after heavy rain to control the production and spread and infection of fungal spores and conidia; the control effect is fairly good.
Lucky Bamboo Leaf Spot
[Symptoms] It occurs on the leaves. In the early stage, the lesion is a brown spot with a yellow edge; after expansion, the lesion is nearly round, gray inside, dark brown at the edge and yellow around, and under humid conditions black granular matter appears on the lesion.
[Cause] It is a fungal disease. The pathogen survives on diseased plant residues and spreads by air currents, insects, etc., and can directly infect and harm through leaf stomata. In a greenhouse environment it easily occurs year-round; under humid conditions the disease is severe.
[Control Methods] During the care period, control the planting density and maintain ventilation and light transmission. In the early stage of the disease, spray fungicides such as Ribangkejun and phosethyl-Al manganese zinc.
Lucky Bamboo Stem Rot
This disease causes the death of lucky bamboo and reduces its ornamental value. It occurs more from May to September under high temperature and high humidity, and mainly harms the leaves and stems.
Symptoms: the leaves at the stem base of the seedlings turn yellow; the stem base rots, turns yellow and softens; the interior of the stem turns red; the pathogen gradually harms upward from the lower cut.
[Control Methods]:
(1) Cultivate robust seedlings with well-filled tissue; remove diseased plants and burn them in a centralized way; dig deep drainage ditches and form high beds 25 cm high for planting.
(2) Soak the lower cut of the seedlings for 24 hours in a 3000-fold solution of 42% Kejunjing powder, or a 1000-fold solution of 88% hydrated mycin.
Yellowing Leaves
During the growth of lucky bamboo, leaves often turn yellow, and the cause is mostly improper cultivation management. Too much or too little water, too strong or too weak sunlight, and too much or too little fertilizer can all cause leaves to turn yellow, but the yellowing conditions differ; the cause should be carefully observed and analyzed and then corrected.
Water Yellowing
The tender leaves are dull yellow and lusterless, the old leaves show no obvious change, the branches are thin and yellow-green, and the new shoots shrink and stop growing, indicating overwatering. Take the plant out of the pot, place it in a ventilated, cool spot to let the root ball dry by itself, then put it back in the pot.
Drought Yellowing
The yellowing from lack of water is different from the yellowing from too much water. The yellowing from lack of water shows the leaf tips or edges withering and drying, and the old leaves withering, yellowing and dropping from bottom to top, but the new leaves grow fairly normally. Just take care to water thoroughly and amply.
Scorch Yellowing
Strong direct sunlight falling on some shade-loving flowers (such as spider plant, hosta, etc.) easily causes the leaf tips and leaf edges to wither, and yellow spots to appear on the sun-facing part of the leaves. Just move it to a shaded spot.
Light-Deficiency Yellowing
When placed in a shaded environment for a long time, the leaves cannot get enough sunlight and cannot form chlorophyll; the whole plant's leaves turn yellow and then drop. Supplementing light can avoid this problem.
Fertilizer-yellow
Yellowing of flowers caused by excessive fertilization or overly high concentration, manifested as dry brown tips on new leaves, generally thick but lusterless leaf surfaces that are uneven and not smooth, and old leaves turning scorched yellow and falling off. Fertilization should be stopped immediately; in severe cases, use a large amount of clean water to flush out part of the fertilizer.
Nutrient-deficiency yellow
Manifested as tender leaves becoming lighter in color, turning yellow or pale green, while old leaves remain relatively normal or gradually turn from green to yellow. Check the potting soil; if there is dry caking, the soil should be replaced. Usually apply light fertilizer frequently and water with some alum water at the appropriate time (lucky bamboo is a foliage plant and should be given fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer). Steps for growing lucky bamboo in water
1. At the beginning of growing it, cut off the leaves at the bottom to prevent them from inhibiting the bamboo's own growth. The specific situation depends on the size and length of the bottle; be careful to cut off the leaves below the bottle mouth. Also, cut off a small section diagonally at the bottom of the root, making sure the cut is smooth, so that the lucky bamboo can absorb water better.
2. Control the water volume and be selective about the water used. The water volume only needs to be about one-third to two-thirds of the bottle. Also, before roots grow, change the water frequently, about once every 3-4 days. After roots form, it is almost unnecessary to change the water; simply add an appropriate amount of water to the bottle. In summer and other dry weather, spray more water on the leaf surfaces.
3. Grasp the indoor water-culture temperature for lucky bamboo well, because lucky bamboo prefers warmth, with 16°C to 25°C being suitable. It is not suitable to place it in a cold place for growing, and freeze protection measures should be taken.
4. Give lucky bamboo enough lighting time. Even when grown indoors, it should be exposed to sunlight to a moderate degree; simply place it in a ventilated spot with sufficient light.
5. Depending on the actual situation, fertilizer can be applied about once every 30 days on average. Moderate fertilization can keep its leaves oily green and spread out for a long time, or an appropriate amount of culture solution can also be added.
Other control methods
While growing it, you should also pay more attention to the following issues:
1. If the leaves turn yellow, pay attention to whether there is insufficient light or excessive fertilization.
2. If there are rotten leaves or rotten roots, remove them promptly.
3. Change the water frequently; if an unusual odor is found, change the water immediately.
4. Do not place it next to electrical appliances.
The role and uses of lucky bamboo: ornamental value
Lucky bamboo is an evergreen small tree. The beauty of lucky bamboo is inseparable from its auspicious name. It has slender and elegant leaves, emerald green leaf color, and its stem nodes show characteristics resembling bamboo nodes, but it is not true bamboo. In China there is the congratulatory phrase "flowers bloom in wealth and honor, bamboo reports peace." Because lucky bamboo has delicate stems and leaves, is soft and elegant, and is full of bamboo charm, it is very popular among people. Lucky bamboo is easy to manage, has few pests and diseases, is easy to cultivate, and symbolizes "great good fortune and great profit."
(1) Fortune-opening bamboo, also called fortune tower, bamboo tower, tower bamboo. Its layers are staggered in an orderly way, its shape is noble and elegant, rising higher section by section, putting out green layer by layer, shaped like a pagoda;
(2) Curved bamboo, also called fortune-turning bamboo, has combinations such as spiral type, heart type, figure-8 type, etc., meaning turning in good luck;
(3) Bamboo cage, artificially woven into a cage shape during cultivation, taking the meaning of wealth and lingering affection, the bamboo cage entering water, and abundant financial resources;
(4) Straight branches, with multiple branches tied into a bundle or inserted separately in a vase. The shape is vivid, and after the top buds of each branch open into leaves it appears even more full of vitality, with a strong momentum of rising higher section by section;
(5) Thousand-hand fortune tray: first plant multiple lucky bamboo branches regularly in a tray, and during cultivation weave them by hand, shaped like Thousand-Hand Guanyin, auspicious and wish-granting;
(6) Bamboo basket: use straight branches tied into the base of the basket, and use two 7-shaped curved bamboos as the basket handle, or add two O-shaped curved bamboos for decoration, creating the artistic shape of a basket;
(7) Vase: tied from straight branches with a hollow space in the middle, used for flower arranging, and curved bamboo can also be selected as a foil.
Feng shui role
Fortune-opening bamboo is what we commonly call lucky bamboo, also called fortune tower, treasure tower, tower bamboo. It spread from Taiwan, China, has high ornamental value, is quite popular in the market, and has now been fashionable for more than ten years. The effects of choosing lucky bamboo as a green plant:
1. It can be placed anywhere indoors.
2. It can grow with water and a little sunlight.
3. Its emerald green color will make you happy in body and mind.
4. It can absorb harmful gases and dust indoors and regulate air humidity.
5. It takes only a little of your time to care for and is easy to maintain.
6. It can remain lush for a long time and has a long survival time.
Feng shui and placement
Plants occupy a very important position in feng shui, because they are easy to buy and also conform to natural feng shui principles.
Plants are widely used in feng shui, some for blocking evil influences and some for promoting wealth. However, many people only have half-understanding and think that placing plants is definitely good. In fact, using the method of placing plants to enhance feng shui is also a profound subject.
In feng shui methods, lucky bamboo is used to promote official luck and academic luck. If next year you are going to take an exam, be promoted, or write, you can place four lucky bamboo plants in the Wenchang position of the home, and a Wenchang tower and a brush rack also have the effect of promoting official luck and academic luck. These items can be used at the same time to increase the power of the Wenchang position.
Plants placed in the wealth position should have large leaves; avoid planting plants with pointed and long leaves. Gardening and Flower Network reminds you: lucky bamboo should not be placed in the wealth position. Placing it in the wealth position or the evil position will only make the fortune worse. Many people misunderstand lucky bamboo as a feng shui item for improving wealth luck. In fact, this name was only added later by people, and placing lucky bamboo in the wealth position of the whole house will lead to losses in wealth luck.
Garden uses of lucky bamboo
Overview
Placing lush flowers and plants indoors is not only a good decoration, but also has a certain effect on improving the temperature, humidity, and air quality of the local environment. But the potting soil in flowerpots often gives off an unpleasant smell, especially after applying flower fertilizer, and it will also breed small insects. In fact, growing some water-culture plants in a room has a better effect.
Advantages of water culture
First, because water can evaporate freely, in the same environment it has a more obvious effect in regulating air humidity than plants grown in potting soil;
Second, water-culture plants can omit the management work of potting soil, are clean and hygienic, and are simple to care for;
Third, if plants whose root systems can be exposed to light are chosen, paired with a suitable container, the whole plant can be viewed, giving higher ornamental value.
Matching with home decor
1. Create a home style that pursues wealth and yearns for goals. Lucky bamboo means wishing the owner to become wealthy and life to flourish day by day. With such a good implied meaning, the home style it should present is self-evident.
2. Lucky bamboo creates a style in which the owner has integrity. "Better to eat without meat than to live without bamboo." It can be seen that since ancient times, bamboo has had a great effect on the formation of personality. With it guiding us in how to conduct ourselves, we can certainly live out our own style.
3. Besides the two obvious home styles above, lucky bamboo's beauty and practicality are also its very prominent home effects. Plant one, and your home life arrangement will certainly surprise you. Growing some water-culture plants in a room has a better effect.
The flower language of lucky bamboo
Flowers bloom in wealth and honor, bamboo reports peace, a life of wealth and honor, great good fortune and great profit; pine, bamboo, and plum are the three friends of winter.
Lucky bamboo pictures