Bamboo flowering · Bamboo ValleyScience for kids

Does bamboo really die after it flowers?

In short: Some bamboos flower only once every few decades or more, and whole areas of the same kind bloom at about the same time. Afterwards they often decline or die off. Not every bamboo does this, though; each species has its own pattern.

Bamboo flowering: a nature card illustration

How it works

Most plants flower every year, but bamboo is unusual. Many kinds spread for years simply by sending up new shoots from underground stems, without flowering at all. When they finally do flower, plants of the same kind across a huge area often bloom together, as if they had agreed on a date.

Why together? Scientists think bamboo may have a kind of internal timer. The plants in a grove often grew from the same batch of seed, or are really one plant joined underground, so their timers all go off at the same time.

Making flowers and seeds uses up much of a plant's stored food, so many bamboos weaken or die afterwards, and the fallen seeds grow into a new grove. The flood of seeds can make rat numbers boom, and when the bamboo that pandas eat flowers and dies back, pandas must move to find other bamboo.

Where to see it in New Zealand

New Zealand has no native bamboo groves to flower together, but our native beech forests do something similar. In a 'mast year', huge areas of beech trees produce extra seed at once. Mice and rats boom, then stoats increase, putting native birds at risk, so the Department of Conservation steps up predator control.

Try it together

In summer, find a patch of long, unmown grass and look closely at the seed heads. Bamboo flowers are rarely seen, but they look a lot like these grass flowers, because bamboo is part of the grass family.

Kids also ask

How often does bamboo flower?

It varies hugely. Some bamboos produce a few flowers almost every year, while others bloom all together only once in several decades or longer. Some people never see a particular kind flower in their lifetime.

Does bamboo always die after flowering?

Not always. Bamboos that flower all together often weaken or die off in large patches, but some recover slowly, and some flower only here and there without harming the whole grove. It depends on the species.

Why would bamboo flower all at once?

One idea is that making a huge amount of seed at once means seed-eating animals cannot eat it all, so some seeds survive to grow. This is one of several explanations scientists are still studying.

In the game, “Bamboo flowering” is a nature card on Bamboo Valley.

Your child finds this card by reaching the right place or meeting the right weather on the island, and lights it up by answering the question on the back. Tap the button below and the game shows your child which island it is on and how to find it. Mochi Isle is a browser learning game for ages 5 to 18; the main island and the daily lesson are free.

Find “Bamboo flowering” on the island ↗ All cards from Bamboo Valley