What are the Different Types of Bamboo?

Scientifically speaking there are 3 types of bamboo (tribes), which consist out of herbaceous bamboos (Olyreae), tropical woody bamboos (Bambuseae) and temperate woody bamboos (Arundinarieae). Altogether they contain 1,718 species which are categorized into 128 genera.

Herbaceous and tropical woody bamboos are usually clump forming bamboos, while temperate woody bamboos are usually running or invasive bamboos. For that reason most bamboo enthousiasts will refer to only 2 types of bamboo: clumping and running bamboo.

The articles below discuss the different types of bamboo in more depth, because apart from their growth habit, there are much more characteristics that these 1,718 species may or may not have in common. Some bamboos originate from Africa while other are only found (native) in the Americas or Asia. Some bamboo species are strictly ornamental while others have many uses in the food or wood industry.

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