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Mao-Zhu
Mao-Zhu is the most important bamboo species in China, where it
covers almost 12,000 square miles, primarily in the Fujian province
(southeast of China). It's the main species for bamboo timber and
plays a very important role for the ecological environment. Its
name means "hairy bamboo". This is the largest temperate
bamboo in the world, only a few tropical species grow larger. New
shoots and culms are covered with a fine furry hairs, hence its
name. It's one of the world's most important commercial bamboos
and one of the most beautiful outside the tropics.
Fujian Province
 
The Fujian province is not only the key forest area in the southern
China, but also the most suitable region for bamboo growing, as
well as the key producing area for bamboo products. Almost 200 species
of bamboo are grown in this region among them the Mao-Zhu with 1320
million pieces of standing bamboo. After the foundation of P.R.
China , Fujian government provided large amount of bamboo for the
economical construction of the country. Since the twenty years of
reform and opening-up the bamboo industry has made great progress,
and the increase of economical profit has increased sharply. It
has turned to be the key pillar industry for the economical development
in forested area and the enrichment of peasants.
Along with the developing of economical construction of the country
and the increasing of living standard of the people, the market
of the processing and using of bamboo shoot had been developing
rapidly. It brings bamboo industry a bright future and an excellent
opportunity of development. Fujian has favorite natural conditions
and geographic advantages for bamboo industry. Additionally, the
Party Committee and Government at all levels pay great attention
to it and have issued many of preferential policies to produce a
better environment for the investment of bamboo industry.
Bamboo Flowers
Usually bamboos flower only once in their lifetime and die after
bearing fruit. Some species can also flower annually without dying.
However flowering is a great strain on the plant and most species
flower only once every 50-120 years. When they do, it is usually
followed either by slow growth for several years or massive dieback.
A few species flower en masse no matter their location and climate,
synchronizing their dieback/suicide across oceans and continents.
The individual flowers are formed from ears and panicles and measure
only a few millimeters. The bamboos normally flower in the last
months of a year and seeds mature at the beginning of the next year.
All bamboo fruits are edible. The majority of bamboo species produce
ripe fruits only rarely. Most fruits falls to the ground before
ripening. The ability of the seeds to germinate is very low. To
cultivate artificially the bamboo is surer and much quicker consequently.
See
It Grow
Bamboo grows at an incredible speed. If you go outside at night
in the spring (most plants grow at night) it is actually possible
to see bamboo growing. Like other grasses, bamboo spreads through
rhizomes, a horizontal, usually underground stem that often sends
out roots and shoots from its nodes (also called rootstalk). The
resulting underground matte is ideal for holding slopes and riverbanks,
a bamboo groove is said to be the safest place during an earthquake.
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