All About Moso Bamboo 

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) is a native species to China and is one of the fastest growing woody plants in the World reaching over 90 feet (30 meter) tall. It produces woody structure and yet it is a grass, a grass that grows very fast and then hardens over several years. The fibers from Moso bamboo are stiff in comparison and can be extracted mechanically then used in producing textiles, paper products, kitchen utilities and building material for structure or decorative purposes.

Currently, over 80% of the bamboo material use in the building industry are produced from Moso bamboo species. Few other bamboo species had been explored from various country however none has come near to the production capacity of Moso bamboo. Hence, Moso bamboo is by far the most commercialized bamboo species in the world and had been emigrated to multiple countries for planting.

The advantages of Moso bamboo are in both its mechanical properties as well as its silviculture practicality.

Moso bamboo is comparable Oak. It has a density of about 40 Ib/cu ft (650 kg/m3), easy to dry to equivalent, slightly stronger (MOR between 12,000 to 22,000 psi)and stiffer (MOE around 1.1 to 2.9 million psi) than Oak, and generally stable dimensionally when dry properly. With its properties, Moso bamboo is a good substitute for Oak.

Moso bamboo is one of the few commercially viable species that stand alone (monopodial) as it has Leptomorph rhizome system, meaning a running network of roots system. This rooting system allows Moso bamboo to develop Its free-standing characteristic. This benefit tremendously in the silviculture and harvesting of bamboo culm where only the matured bamboo is harvested. This is most akin to selective logging that is being encourage in the forestry sector. With selective harvesting, mass scale of disturbance to the forest ecology is avoided and the ecology of the forest is maintained throughout century.

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) growth characteristic of free-standing culm is clearly shown here in the photo. Every culm stands alone which allows for selective harvesting.

Most other giant bamboo grow in clump with the largest culm in the middle. This makes harvesting difficult and usually the whole clump will have to be cleared. The species shown here is Dragon bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus).

 

See also: Facts about Pandas and Moso Bamboo.