The giant panda is China's national treasure and currently listed as a vulnerable species. To reduce their danger of extinction, people have carefully studied their food. 99 percent of what giant pandas eat is bamboo, and arrow bamboo is one of the more common types.

Born in the edge of the slopes of 1,300-2,400 meters above sea level, most arrow bamboo grows in a warm and humid environment, such as Sichuan's eastern area.

Arrow bamboo is the key to the growth, health, and breeding of giant pandas.

Pandas eat different parts of the bamboo as per the season.

They like to eat shoots of the arrow bamboo. However, the shoots only grow in spring and summer, and giant pandas mainly eat the leaves and roots throughout the year.

Shoots of the bamboo are delicious and easy to digest, but the shoots have an outer layer, so the pandas usually peel and only take the core.

With very low nutritional value in the bamboo, pandas must eat 23–40kg every day to meet their energy needs.

Many people believe that arrow bamboo is evergreen all year round, but it is not. The arrow bamboo flowers every 60 years. Generally speaking, it blossoms only once in its life, and then bears seeds, and dies. After blooming, it will decline no matter how many years it has grown. For arrow bamboo itself, flowering and seed-setting are essential means of self-renewal. However, if the arrow bamboo flowers, pandas have to find substitute food.

The arrow bamboo trees in the Pianshan Nature Reserve in Mianyang, Sichuan Province, once bloomed.

China's Flora Tour

From the wetlands along the coast to the dense rain forests hidden in the southwest of China, all boast an array of plant species. In this series, we will go on a tour to learn about some of the most iconic flora in different provinces and see how they live in harmony with the local climate and topography. 

(Cover image via VCG, designed by CGTN's Du Chenxin)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com)