And it's true, bamboo isn't technically a tree — but planting and cultivating it is no less beneficial for people and the environment. Indeed, as the fastest growing grass on the planet, bamboo has incredible potential as a sustainable resource. Its woody stem makes it very tree-like, yet it also has unique properties.

Is bamboo a tree yes or no?

Bamboo is a grass, not a tree.

Despite countless images in books and on social media of dense, towering, tree-like bamboo groves, bamboo is actually in the grass family of Poaceae, and—not surprisingly—is the biggest in the family.

Why is a bamboo not a tree?

Like all types of grass, bamboo's internodal stem is hollow – in this case called a culm. Bamboo does not have a vascular cambium layer or meristem cells at the top of its culm. A tree, meanwhile, features both a vascular layer and meristem cells. ... Likewise, bamboo does not feature bark.