A giant grass

Bamboos are native to Africa, Australia and the Americas, but the largest number of species is found in Asia, with close to 300 of them originating in China.

The largest bamboos grow in tropical regions, whereas smaller or dwarf bamboos are more common in temperate regions.

It grows at an amazing rate, up to one metre in the space of 24 hours! Botanists still don't fully understand its flower production-some species flower only at intervals of several years, if not decades or even centuries. There are approximately 1,200 species of bamboo around the world, most of them in Asia. At the Chinese Garden, we grow some twenty different species.

An important crop in China

The bamboo houses of the Dai

A typical Dai house is built in the centre of a fenced yard, with bamboo stands, fruit trees and a small vegetable plot. Such houses are raised two or three metres off the ground, on 21 pilings arranged in three rows of seven. The roof framing consists of whole bamboo stems, while woven bamboo strips are used in making the floor and walls.

This type of raised and well-ventilated construction provides good shelter from heat and humidity, as well as from wild animals, insects and flooding. Such houses are typically about 100 m2 and last for approximately 40 years.

Inside, the house is split in two by a central divider made of bamboo matting. On one side is the living space with a fireplace for cooking, while the other side is used for sleeping.