Bamboo

*Bambusoideae*

How to know it

Hollow jointed stems growing in clumps, with narrow leaves. The segments and the ring at each joint are the giveaway. It is a grass, not a tree, despite the size.

What it does

Used for building, scaffolding, furniture, water pipes, cooking vessels and musical instruments across the region. Shoots are eaten. Some species grow close to a metre a day in the right conditions.

Safety

Cut ends are sharp and can splinter. Any cutting is an adult job. Otherwise safe.

Two things to do with children

Measure a growing shoot on Monday and again on Friday. In wet season the difference is dramatic enough that children check it daily without being asked.

Cut a section and use it as a cup or a plant pot. Making something usable out of a plant in one session is worth a lot.