bamboo question

[ollitos]

I feel a bit silly asking this... but if I feed bamboo to our rabbits, who live on pasture, will we end up with bamboo sprouting up in a few weeks? Our rabbit area had hardly any clover until we started putting the rabbits out there. Now it's a blanket of clover. Really don't want to deal with bamboo all over the place.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Bamboo is a grass, and the best example I can give of its habits is to compare it to bermuda grass. If you have any experience with Bermuda, you will know how hard it is to eradicate because it spreads by sending out lateral stems under the soil. Bamboo spreads primarily from rhizomes (underground stems), so no, you wouldn't have it spread via bunny poop. Bermuda grass produces seeds every year, while most bamboo goes to seed very rarely (like once in your lifespan)... if your bamboo stand is very old, you may "get lucky" and have it go to seed, so just be sure not to feed the seed heads to the rabbits and you will be fine... other than it spreading via any airborne seeds it has produced, of course!

 

[ollitos]

Awesome and thanks! Our neighbors have tons and the rabbits devoured the bamboo I gave them

 

[OneAcreFarm]

How a bamboo spreads depends on if it is a "running" bamboo or a "clumping" bamboo.... but it should not spread via bunny poop....be careful feeding it without knowing what species...some species have high cyanide content....

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Clumping bamboo still spreads via it's rhizomes, it just does so more slowly, because the rhizomes are U-shaped as opposed to horizontal, so the new shoots come up adjacent to the stems of the mother plant.

I didn't know about the varying cyanide content- I wonder which type Panda Bears eat?

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Clumping bamboo still spreads via it's rhizomes, it just does so more slowly, because the rhizomes are U-shaped as opposed to horizontal, so the new shoots come up adjacent to the stems of the mother plant.

I didn't know about the varying cyanide content- I wonder which type Panda Bears eat?

From what I have read, the Giant Panda has adapted to be able to eat the one with the highest cyanide content and it is the only animal that eats it...

That is why bamboo shoots must be cooked for human consumption....it removes the cyanide....<br /><br />__________ Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:24 am __________<br /><br />

Clumping bamboo still spreads via it's rhizomes, it just does so more slowly, because the rhizomes are U-shaped as opposed to horizontal, so the new shoots come up adjacent to the stems of the mother plant.

That should have read "how quickly it spreads".... :lol: You have the brain today, don't you? :roll:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Thanks, Sistah- I am in the planning stages of my PandaPaddock... never know when Panda-monium is pending, and I like to be prepared for any eventuality.