For Europeans bamboo forests are of unnatural beauty and bear an exotic meaning. This is probably due to the fact that they only grow in China, Japan and the East and Southeast Asian regions, places with a rich and almost defying culture for most of us. Bamboo forests can also be found in Australia, Northern India, sub-Saharan Africa and the tropical regions of the two Americas.

photo by FishiexFishie

We will not begin on the various uses of bamboo, we will just say that they are one of the fastest growing plants in the world, with the ability to grow 60 cm (24 inches) or more per day, depending on the region. Bamboo forests host a variety of wild animals, but the  giant panda is their most “famous” inhabitant.

photo by chriscahier

photo by Chua KP

And if you don’t feel like admiring a bamboo forest up close yet, here is a song and some images that will certainly have a stronger effect: