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NAME: Bamboo

SPECIES / FAMILY:  Bamboo / Poaceae

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): 

CONDITIONS: multiple
 

PARTS:

EDIBLE cid:image001.jpg@01D3EC3E.A305A520

TASTE

RAW/COOK

SEASON

All

  

 

 

 

Shoots

cid:image001.jpg@01D3EC3E.A305A520

 

COOK

 Spring

Leaves

        

Stalk/Stem

 

 

 

 

Buds

        

Flowers

 

 

 

 

Fruits

 

 

 

 

Pods

  

 

    

Seeds

 

 

 

 

Nuts

 

 

 

 

Roots

 

 

 

 

Bark

 

 

 

 

 

PORTION: depends on species

 

COMMENT:  There are over 100 edible species of bamboo, and perhaps nearly all of the shoots of 1500-plus species are edible. No one really knows for sure. Most of them, even the edible ones, are bitter raw and that bitterness can vary. A few have some or no bitterness. Usually cooking the shoots in one or more changes of water reduces or gets rid of that bitterness. To prepare them remove the protective sheath, slice and boil, or chop and boil, or just boil.(2)

 

CAUTION: Many bamboo shoots have to be cooked to rid them of cyanide. The sap and shoots can be fermented. Pith of young shoots can be pickled. The seeds are edible but some bamboos only flower once every 120 years. (2)

 

NUTRITION/MEDICINAL: 

 

LOOK-A-LIKES:  

 

POISONOUS LOOK-A-LIKES: 

 

OTHER USES: Fuel, construction, paper goods, fabric, musical instruments, toys, etc.

 

SOURCE LINKS (may include nutritional and medicinal info, plus other uses):

  1. https://pfaf.org/user/Default.aspx  Search “Bamboo”, many species listed
  2. http://www.eattheweeds.com/?s=bamboo
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo#Culinary
  4. http://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/bambooriver-cane_20.html (good photos)
  5. http://the3foragers.blogspot.com/2015/05/invasive-bamboo.html
  6. https://harvesttotable.com/bamboo_shoots_stalk_vegetable
  7. https://www.npr.org/2011/07/06/136394119/canned-wont-do-spring-brings-fresh-bamboo-shoots
  8. https://www.ecofarmingdaily.com/grow-crops/grow-fruits-vegetables/fruit-and-vegetable-crops/identifying-harvesting-cooking-bamboo 
  9. https://www.hungryonion.org/t/bamboo-shoots/13403
  10. https://alessandrazecchini.blogspot.com/2019/02/how-to-forage-and-cook-bamboo-shoots.html