Flanders bamboo blooms after 120 years

A rare black lacquer bamboo is blooming for the first time in 120 years at a botanical garden in Flanders. The Plantentuin in Meise, north of Brussels, reported the blooming, noting the species last flowered in Japan in 1908. Botanists anticipate this bloom will occur globally in the coming years. This bamboo, known for its black stems and cold tolerance, presents a biological mystery regarding its blooming cycle. The flowering period typically lasts two to three years, after which the plant may weaken or die.