It won't come as a surprise to many, and particularly those who have grown it, bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world. Thick rhizomes (underground plant stems) store energy produced by mature canes to give the emerging shoots an energy-rich, speedy start in life.
In optimum conditions, some species can grow a staggering 91cm a day.
The tallest bamboo species is Dendrocalamus giganteus, which can grow up to 30metres tall.
Bamboo is of course famous as the diet of giant pandas. A panda must consume up to 38kg of bamboo a day to survive
Did you know bamboo has a number of uses? It has been used as a building material, made into a fabric and made musical instruments. Bamboo shoots are also used in traditional Japanese, Chinese and Indonesian cuisine.