Bamboo is about to flower for first time in 120 Yrs, but this could be bad news

• Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis, a bamboo species in Japan, typically blooms every 120 years and then "dies" to make way for the next generation of plants.
• Researchers at Hiroshima University discovered a stand of this bamboo flowering early in 2020 and conducted studies on its germination.
• Long gaps between flowering events have made it difficult for scientists to study this bamboo's regeneration process.
• A recent study by Hiroshima University scientists found that most flowering specimens did not produce viable seeds, raising concerns about the bamboo's regeneration capabilities.

A species of bamboo called Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis is widespread throughout Japan. Not only does it characterize its extensive presence in that place, but it blooms in a particular way: it blooms every 120 years and then "dies" and gives way to the next generation of plants.

In 2020, a stand of henon bamboo flowering early was found by researchers at Hiroshima University. They set up a plot and observed the bamboo as it germinated.

Scientists concerned about bamboo news

A group of scientists, who published some of their new findings about bamboo in the journal PLOS One, now have a source of concern as the curious news about this type of bamboo has become.

Science has found it difficult to study the flowering of this bamboo and its subsequent regeneration for decades due to the long gaps in time when there are no flowers, as noted by researchers from Hiroshima University in a statement. The last large bloom took place in 1908, and although some blooms occurred between 1903 and 1912, scientists expect the next large bloom to occur around 2028.

However, scientists from that university found a plant that flowered before the others a few years ago and studied it to understand more about the process. The scientists noted in the statement that what they found could be very bad news for the production of this bamboo, the ecology of the area, as well as the country's economy.

The researchers observed that most of the flowering bamboo specimens did not produce seeds. That is, the sample included more than 80% of the stems that flowered, but not all of them produced seeds, indicating that this variety of bamboo "does not reliably undergo sexual regeneration through seed germination."

Not regenerating after flowering

In simpler words, and as Toshihiro Yamada, first author of the study, indicated in the statement: “The bamboo did not produce any viable seeds that could germinate. Bamboo shoot production stopped after flowering. “There were no signs of regeneration of this bamboo after flowering during the initial three years.”

This is not to say that the species no longer regenerates at all after flowering, but researchers do expect that bamboo regeneration will be slow and last several years. This could represent a “dark future” for the species in Japan, but also for the economy and livelihood of people close to these plants.

“The consequences of a once dense field of bamboo, something that serves as both food and a source of material for crafts, becoming a grassland for several years until bamboo regeneration begins in some way, can impact the ecology of the area, as well as the country's economy," the scientists noted in the statement.

"Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis must have experienced many flowering events during this period, as it surely regenerated repeatedly."

The researchers propose that the bamboo regenerates through several suggestions, such as underground organs that allow the plant to regrow.

But in the meantime, when henon bamboo dies in 2028, it will be slow to grow back.

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