This is the only bamboo known to be native to the U.S.. Its range once spread from Texas to Maryland. Bamboo is a common term for a large number of giant grasses that include many different species and varieties. Bamboo used worldwide for many purposes from building materials to making paper. There are two main types of bamboo. Runner types send out underground stems to varying distances and sent up a vertical shoot. These will grow in large thickets or grove if left alone. Runners are mainly found in temperate regions. Clump bamboos have underground stems that sprout vertical shoots much closer their parent plants glowing slowly outward. Clumpers tend to be tropical or subtropical.
