A species of bamboo that flowers only once every 50 to 100 years is currently in bloom at the Bokrijk Open-Air Museum in the Limburg province.
Phyllostachys nigra ‘Boryana’, also known as tiger bamboo, is one of the 260 different species of bamboo found in Bokrijk. This plant species is also gaining ground in Belgium due to its sustainability and ecological value, as it is used, amongst other things, as a CO₂ filter.
One hectare of bamboo sequesters 17 tonnes of CO₂ annually and produces no less than 30% more oxygen than trees of a comparable volume.
The Bokrijk Open-Air Museum is proud of its collection of bamboo species, which comprises some 300 plantings and around 260 different species.
Phyllostachys edulis, also known as Moso bamboo, was long considered too delicate for Belgian winters. However, this Asian giant – whose shoots are eaten in Asia and which was once also used as an instrument of torture – has proved surprisingly resilient to our climate.
Every 50-100 years
"Experts said that this bamboo species would never survive the winters here. Yet certain selections are emerging that do thrive in our climate, such as our own ‘Bokrijk’ selection," said Igor Philtjens, chairman of the open-air museum.
"Of 20 seedlings from 1987, one proved to be hardy and to grow better than the rest," he said. "This was retained and designated as a new variety in 2012: Phyllostachys edulis 'Bokrijk'."
One of the first bamboo species in the Bokrijk collection, Phyllostachys nigra ‘Boryana’, is currently in flower. This is a rare phenomenon that occurs only once every 50 to 100 years. During this time, plants of the same species around the world come into flower almost simultaneously within a short period.
Additionally, there are several other eye-catching plants in bloom at Bokrijk, including Fargesia Papyrifera, the largest non-invasive bamboo that can reach heights of up to 7 metres in our climate.
After flowering, the plants usually die off, but the seeds they produce grow into a new generation that can continue to grow for another 50 to 100 years.
