An Amazing Plant

18 An Amazing Plant It grows easily in tropical countries. Many people think it's a tree, but it's really a grass. There are about 1, 000 species of this amazing plant around the world. It has been used to build houses, bridges, furniture, pipelines, and surgical needles small enough to sew nerves. There's a bridge in China nearly 2, 000 years old that is made of this material. It can be used in place of steel, concrete, and wood, and it has a much lower cost. Many people think of it as a product of yesterday, but it could easily become a star product of the future. Why? Well, for one thing, it's easy to grow. And it grows very quickly. How about three centimetres an hour! That's fast. But wait! In Japan, one species can grow more than one metre in one day! The record is one metre in one hour. In Brazil, one species can grow up to 45 metres in height. Best of all, it can reach full height in about two months. In comparison, it takes about 50 years for a tree to mature to a height for it to be harvested. Another incredible thing about this grass is that when you cut a stem from it, a new sterm quickly grows back to replace it.

What is it? You've probably already guessed it. It's bamboo! In fact, studies have shown that bamboo is tougher than the wood from some of the world’s strongest trees. Its stems are strong and flexible. It's lightweight, easy to work with and cheap to produce. And, it's good for the environment. The list goes on and on. A Frenchman even built and flew an airplane made of bamboo! It was fast and easy to handle. He called it the “ flyboo" . One more thing: there is only one animal on this planet that eats nothing but bamboo. Do you know what that animal is? It's an endangered and protected species. It lives in China. It's black and white, and very cute. You guessed it-the panda bear!