There are actually over 1,000 species of bamboo available today that are classified as a grass. The exact speed in which these plants can grow deeply depends on the environment and the care put into the plant. With proper conditions, these plants can grow to nearly 100 feet! 

This leads to the question of how fast bamboo actually grows and what you should expect if you were to plant bamboo in your yard. As mentioned, certain plants can grow up to 35 inches (1 m) in only a 24-hour period. This breaks down to 1.5 inches (4 cm) per hour! 

Bamboo grows very uniquely and unlike many other plants out there, as it is a form of elongation. Many bamboo plants have a large cone at the base, which can be around 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm). This is a cone at the base of the clump, which pointy side’s up.

This cone is very interesting as it contains all of the cells that will eventually become a new bamboo stem, which is referred to as a culm. In proper conditions, water will go into those cells and allow them to rapidly inflate. The cell walls do not allow the plant to expand laterally, forcing them to elongate quickly. After initial growth, you will see the side stems and leaves of the bamboo plant developing. 

To allow the plant to reach its full potential, all it needs essentially is the proper amount of water to fill its cells. Bamboo plants are very effective at doing this and are the fastest-growing plants because of this reason.