Читать книгу Cane Topper Woodcarving - Lora S. Irish - Страница 25

Bamboo is not a tree but a flowering, perennial grass that reproduces from underground rhizomes. There are more than 1,450 species of bamboo, which is native from Southeast Asia through Australia, and it is a common landscaping plant in North America. New shoots begin in the early spring and can grow up to 4 feet (1.2m) in one day. By the end of summer, the average new shoot can reach 30 feet (9m) to 40 feet (12m) in length, depending on the species. Only harvest two-year-old or older growth.

Bamboo is a perfect walking stick wood because it grows in extremely long, straight lengths. You can cut several walking sticks from a single three- to five-yearold cane. Because the sections of bamboo between the branch nodes are hollow, this is a very lightweight but very strong staff material.