Bamboo Flower

Bamboo Flower Bamboo Flower
Does bamboo grow flowers?

If not is there a type of plant that looks like bamboo and grow’s flowers on it maybe a look alike or something similar i’m into the chinese and japanese plants possibly with beautiful flowers.

Melocanna (Melcanna) baccifera bamboo does flower & even bears edible fruit…
but it is a rare occassion.

Here’s some pictures of bamboo flowering & producing fruit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nongamba/321862281/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nongamba/321863805/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79927887@N00/76187962/

“Over 30% of Mizoram’s forest is covered by bamboo species called Melcanna baccifera, and they flower every 50 years.”
http://www.assamtimes.org/Editorial/1350.html

“Flowering happens simultaneously and whole bamboo forests can die in one go, but between seed germination and flowering there can be as much as a 120 years (e.g. Phyllostachys bambusoides).”
http://aboutbamboo.free.fr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=27

“Melocanna baccifera, estimated to represent over a sixth of the country’s growing stock of bamboo, is known to flower gregariously at intervals of 44 – 48 years. After flowering, a fleshy large fruit is formed; the fruit can weigh upto 150 grammes…Large tracts of land are affected, as bamboo forests burst into bloom and then die.”
http://www.bambootech.org/subsubTOP.asp?subsubid=80&subid=23&sname=BAMBOO
http://annu-journal.blogspot.com/2007/08/bamboo-flowering-or-famine.html

“Melocanna baccifera (Roxburgh) Kurtz ex Skeels, a species of bamboo introduced to Sri Lanka from India, flowered and set fruit during 2001-2002. Culms that flowered and set fruit died.”
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bsc/boj/2003/00000143/00000003/art00006;jsessionid=372t0kvpl4v8j.alexandra

Thought you’d find this forum about flowering bamboo interesting:
http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1487

How to grow Melocanna baccifera bamboo:
http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_105e.html

Good luck!!! Hope this helps.