By Tye Smith

Bamboo, the king of wood? Bamboo is arguably the most versatile plant on the planet. By far, it is the most prolific of all plants. In China bamboo is the symbol of longevity and in India it is the symbol of friendship.

Technically a grass, bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world. Depending on climate and local conditions, bamboo can grow up to three or four feet a day. Imagine how tall your two-year- old child would be at that rate of growth.

And to make things even more interesting, there are around 1,000 species of bamboo plants found in just about every climate from cold mountains to hot tropics. Some species have even existed since pre-historic times and grew to a height of almost 100 meters.