Bamboo is not wood — it is a grass. Its cellular structure is entirely different: dense outer fibers, progressively less dense toward the core. This gradient gives it extraordinary stiffness-to-weight ratio in its natural form.

Processed bamboo (cross-laminated, woven, or carbonized) has different properties from the raw culm and should be evaluated on its own terms. "Bamboo is stronger than steel" refers to specific configurations under specific loads and should not be generalized.

The material's genuine advantages: rapid growth (some species 90 cm/day), carbon sequestration, versatility. Its limitations: susceptibility to moisture and insects without treatment, and the difficulty of joining it structurally.

Related: [[shou-sugi-ban-method]], [[@nina/thermal-mass-passive-design]]