The depth of bamboo roots varies from species to species. Moso bamboo is a special case, with roots that can penetrate several meters into the soil four years before planting, while the aboveground part is only 5 cm high. Starting from the fifth year, Moso bamboo can grow to 15 meters in 6 weeks, and this deep root characteristic lays the foundation for the tall growth of Moso bamboo.
However, the root depth of general bamboo is usually 1-2 meters. Bamboo is classified as a shallow-rooted plant, but their root system becomes denser as the bamboo grows. When the growth in the horizontal space reaches a certain density, the rhizome of bamboo will creep underground and grow in pieces.
Recent scientific research has also found that although the aboveground part of Moso bamboo does not seem to grow in the first five years, it is actually expanding its root system underground. The root system of an unsprouted Moso bamboo seedling can extend more than 10 meters around it and root nearly 5 meters deep underground, laying a solid foundation for rapid growth in the future.
To sum up, the depth that bamboo roots can penetrate can range from 1-2 meters for ordinary bamboo to several meters for moso bamboo, depending on the type of bamboo and the growing environment.