Bamboo is a giant plant belonging to the family of grasses. With the exception of some species, such as Calcutta Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus), bamboo typically has a hollow stem, made up of jointed segments, often with a natural film of a fine, whitish powder-like substance, called nuan in Thai, on its surface.

Its elongated leaves are of a glossy green to yellow colour, depending on the variety (fig.) and season. Bamboo is the fastest growing of all plants on earth, with some species growing a whole meter in a single day and able to grow up to 30 meters tall.