Why bamboo, why not just plant trees?

 Enhancing Nutrition and Revenue through Bamboo Shoots - National Bamboo recognizes bamboo shoots as a nutritious and popular resource. These edible shoots not only contribute to improved diets but also represent a substantial revenue stream in the bamboo industry. Their harvesting is an integral part of our field management practices, creating optimal growth conditions for bamboo plants.

Revitalizing Agriculture and Industry through Bamboo - National Bamboo and its partner companies play a vital role in reinvigorating the agricultural sector. We focus on regions in the Southeastern US facing challenging agricultural conditions, like degraded lands, and aim to create employment opportunities in agriculture. Our efforts are successfully attracting a younger generation back to farming.

 Promoting Circular, Inclusive, and Innovative Practices - National Bamboo follows a business model focused on circularity, inclusivity, and innovation. Beyond the well-established applications of bamboo, our collaboration with universities, research centers, and trailblazing companies fosters a continuous environment for unique bamboo applications. We explore the versatility of bamboo fibers and wood as alternatives to tropical hardwood and high-tech composite materials.

 Building Sustainability with Bamboo - Across many continents and cultures worldwide, bamboo is a well-recognized sustainable material for urban development. It offers versatility, from construction elements to sewer pipes and composite materials, making urban communities more sustainable. Bamboo aligns perfectly with circular economy models, enriching urban areas through carbon absorption, oxygen production, soil regeneration, and erosion control.

Efficiency and Sustainability in Bamboo Farming - Bamboo's exceptional efficiency lies in its zero-waste nature and minimal water consumption. With careful planting only once every 80 to 100 years, it develops a self-sustaining water management system. At National Bamboo, we emphasize energy efficiency and vertically integrated processing methods. This approach leads to a profitable bamboo industry with a minimal environmental footprint.

 Bamboo as a Carbon Champion - Bamboo, a fast-growing grass, excels at carbon storage. It significantly surpasses traditional trees in carbon absorption and oxygen production. Sustainable bamboo products store carbon, reducing emissions through product replacement. Cultivating bamboo in the US for local markets also reduces heavy CO2 transport emissions from other continents.

Bamboo's Ecosystem Restoration - Bamboo is a boon for degraded or eroded lands. Its extensive root system aids gradual soil fertility restoration, creating ecosystems and water management systems. Well-managed bamboo fields attract diverse wildlife. Bamboo's minimal seed production and controllable "running" roots make it an eco-friendly choice. It thrives alongside other crops and effectively contributes to climate change mitigation by sequestering more CO2 than traditional trees.

Fostering a Sustainable Bamboo Industry in USA - National Bamboo is actively promoting a sustainable bamboo industry in the rural Southeastern agricultural sector. US serves as the largest import market for bamboo products. We work collaboratively across states, involving various stakeholders to advocate for bamboo's value in the US. Joint ventures, research collaborations, and partnerships with universities and companies are essential to drive bamboo's adoption as well as sustainability.

Some species of running bamboo can spread 5 feet or more per year,  whereas most species of clumping bamboo only spread up to 5 inches per year. Clumping bamboos have short root structures and will generally  form circular clumps. Running bamboos spread through the growth of long,  horizontal roots with the ability to sprawl horizontally from the mother plant, but no deeper than 24" and typically within the top 4" of soil. 

We specialize in Running bamboo - Phyllostachys Nigra Henon (aka Giant Gray Bamboo) from tissue culture as well as  Phyllostachys Rubromarginata (Red Margin). Our P. Henon is the most popular and most commercially important, though Red Margin, produces a lot of biomass quickly.  

For the US - clumping bamboo is only commercial viable (Zone 10+) from Central Florida to South Florida. For all other commercial timber bamboo farms in the US, best success can be achieved in zones 7-9. 

There are several species of US "native" bamboo, unfortunately none are commercially relevant. People talk of only wanting to plant "native species" but due to globalization and climate change - that collectively "we" caused the boundaries and ecosystems to shift. In fact, ecosystems are shifting  faster then ever, forcing people, plants and animals to find a more suitable environment to live. We must adapt our thinking beyond just "native" and ensure the best plant is being used. 

There are over 1,400 different species of bamboo (both running and non-running), but only 6 are considered commercially valuable timber bamboo species.  It is a tall woody grass that - in some species - can grow as tall as 80 feet (5-8 inch diameter) and grow as fast as a foot a day during the shooting season. Typically timber bamboo is much taller and has thicker culm walls.     

Asia has the largest natural timber bamboo forest landmass but timber bamboo is found in most tropical/sub tropical as well as temperate climates with good annual rainfall. Additionally significant acreage can be found in Central America, Mexico, South America, Africa, Southern Europe, India and the Southeastern US has seen strong growth of timber bamboo plantations.