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by pas 2583 days ago
> Perhaps even more surprising than the long intervals at which they flower is the fact that all plants of the same stock of bamboo will bloom at the same time, and then die, [...]

What?

I thought bamboo is a fast growing thing, and it's easy to grow bamboo. Just stick it into the soil in the right conditions and it'll sprout roots and grow. (It can even be grown from seeds.)
2 comments
wodenokoto 2583 days ago
Growing and flowering are two different things.

As the article mentions, some types of bamboo will flower only once every 100 odd years. When they do, they pollenate each-other and grow fruits and die.

In some parts of the world rats will feasts on these fruits, and rodent populations will explode, contributing to the "Bad Omen".

> Just stick it into the soil in the right conditions

When all the bamboo decides to flower and die at the same time, what exactly are you planning to stick in the ground?

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Qwertystop 2583 days ago
> When all the bamboo decides to flower and die at the same time, what exactly are you planning to stick in the ground?

Presumably, the seeds from the fruits from the last generation. Though they would certainly take a bit of time.

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nostalgk 2583 days ago
From what I can gather, it appears that a large amount of industry in Japan relies (or did at some time) on the long flowering cycle causing continual growth of the bamboo stalks, only further complicated by the cloning process that likely cuts from the same plants.
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lmm 2583 days ago
> When all the bamboo decides to flower and die at the same time, what exactly are you planning to stick in the ground?

The seeds from the flowers?

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pas 2583 days ago
> When all the bamboo decides to flower and die at the same time, what exactly are you planning to stick in the ground?

Hm, maybe keep saplings inside when you see the flowers growing?

Or try to cut off the flowers to prevent the die-off?

Okay, maybe that's a lot of work, and no one prepared for that?

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_ph_ 2583 days ago
I am growing bamboo for quite a while, and at least for the kinds which survive in European climate, you cannot cause a cut off part to sprout roots. But as bamboo is spreading via the roots, you can just cut off parts and replant it.
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