Our own mature Moso groves are as impressive now many we’ve seen. Some of the most famous groves of Moso are in Anderson, SC and Avery Island, LA. I’ve traveled all over the southeast just to visit and walk some of the well known Moso groves. A small admission fee is required to see the footprint. This formation is housed in a small building on the right of the road. It is an unusually shaped crack in the lava and is held to be the footprint of a famous giant, Moso. It’s the largest “cold hardy” bamboo and just has a look distinct from anything else. This geological formation is found along the north-west coast of Savaii. Moso is sort of the “Holy Grail” of bamboo. These giant ones were once used to wrap fish in Japan, they resemble large pieces of heavy paper, slick and shiny one side and covered with soft hairs on the other. Moso is a fast grower that you can expect to reach 70 feet or more in height in USDA 7 and further south, and about 30 to 35 feet tall in Zone 6. On most species these fall to the ground as the canes grow. The dark coverings on the canes are called sheaths and are the protective coating for each section of cane as it grows. The canes have very thick walls and can be split and sawn into small boards. Moso grows in vast forest of bamboo in China and it used for many bamboo products including bamboo flooring. The large sheaths that surround each internode on a new cane is almost the size of a piece of paper and was used to wrap meat and produce in Japan in the past. These can be eaten and are the main source of bamboo shoots in China. You’ll find it well signposted in front of a tidy fale. When a large shoot comes up it heaves up the ground around it. Samoa, Australia & Pacific Savai'i This ancient 1m-by-3m rock depression is decidedly unremarkable apart from the legend that surrounds it: apprently, the giant Moso made the footprint when he stepped over from Fiji to Samoa. This species shoots very early, usually in March. On a good year there will be hundreds of shoots although only about 50% will continue to grow after the first week or so. In the spring new shoots of Moso are fascinating to see. The ground is well mulched with bamboo leaves and the dense growth shades out any weeds. After 12 years my largest grove has multiple canes 6 inches or more in diameter. Canes are covered with a soft hairs and flare out near the base giving them a very distinct look. The leaves are somewhat small and give the grove a “feathery” look. With canes up to 7 inches in diameter, walking through a grove of Moso is like being in a strange and beautiful forest. This is the largest of the cold hardy bamboos.
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