bamboo can be termed wood because of ist technical properties

The lignifying cell structure of the bamboo tissue and its technological properties are very similar to that of wood. Bamboo may therefore also be termed wood. The extremely dense cell structure supercedes the stability and elasticity of beech and oak. Bamboo surpasses wood in terms of durability, hardness and appearance without containing resins or tannic acids. Bamboo is extremely strong because within the outer silicified bark layer highly eleastic fibres run parallel to the cane axis. These fibers have a tensile strength of up to 40 kp/mm2. This compares with wood fibres of 5 kp/mm2 and construction steel (37 kp/mm2). Bamboo supersedes wood and even steel in construction by its most favorable proportion between tare weight and loading capacity. This is why it is also called `Grass of Steel`. Since dawn of history bamboo has been used as a building material for an incredible amount of applications. In the Philippines and the rain forests of Equador 90 of the houses are still made of bamboo.