Bamboo

Bamboo is a versatile, fast-growing plant found primarily in jungles, used for crafting (particularly scaffolding and bamboo wood), smelting, and breeding pandas.

Bamboo

• Leafless
• Small
• Big

Renewable	Yes
Stackable	Yes (64)
Tools
Blast resistance	1
Hardness	1
Luminous	No
Transparent	Yes
Flammable	Bamboo: Yes (60) Shoot: No
Catches fire from lava	Yes
Map color (Java)	7 PLANT

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A bamboo shoot is the initial non-solid sapling form of planted bamboo.

Obtaining

Bamboo shoots in item form cannot be obtained through vanilla means. In Bedrock Edition, they can be obtained through add-ons or inventory editing. In Java Edition, they do not exist as items and are thus completely unobtainable.

Breaking

Bamboo stalks can be mined with any tool, but an axe is quicker than other tools. Using a sword of any type breaks bamboo stalks and shoots instantly, even with Mining Fatigue. Flowing water also breaks bamboo shoots, but not mature bamboo stalks.

Block	Bamboo	Bamboo Shoot
Hardness	1	1
Tool		—
Breaking time (sec)
Default	1.5	1.5
Wooden	0.75	—
Stone	0.4	—
Iron	0.25	—
Diamond	0.2	—
Netherite	0.2	—
Golden	0.15	—
Sword	0.05	0.05
Options
Efficiency	0
Haste	0 JEBE

Legend

• incorrect tool, drops nothing
• correct tool, drops nothing or something other than the block itself
• correct tool, drops the block itself
• italicized can be instant mined

Natural generation

Bamboo generates in widely scattered single shoots within jungle biomes. Bamboo generates much more densely in the bamboo jungles, covering large areas of the landscape. Bamboo does not generate in sparse jungles in Java Edition.

Mob loot

In Java Edition, a panda drops 1 bamboo when killed. Looting does not affect the drop rate.

In Bedrock Edition, a panda drops 0-2 bamboo when killed. Looting increases the drop by 1 per level.

Source	Roll Chance	Quantity (Roll Chance)
		Default	Looting I	Looting II	Looting III
Panda(BE)	100%	0–2	0–3	0–4	0–5
Panda(JE)	100%	1	1	1	1

Generated loot

Item	Structure	Container	Quantity	[hide]Chance
Java Edition
Bamboo	Jungle Pyramid	Chest	1–3	51% { "item": "Bamboo", "stacksize": "1–3", "chance": 0.5097535152939056, "structure": "Jungle Pyramid", "container": "Chest" }
	Shipwreck	Supply chest	1–3	14.4% { "item": "Bamboo", "stacksize": "1–3", "chance": 0.14367923534041638, "structure": "Shipwreck", "container": "Supply chest" }
Bedrock Edition
Bamboo	Jungle Pyramid	Chest	1–3	50.9% { "item": "Bamboo", "stacksize": "1–3", "chance": 0.5089233125982084, "structure": "Jungle Pyramid", "container": "Chest" }
	Shipwreck	Supply chest	1–3	14.4% { "item": "Bamboo", "stacksize": "1–3", "chance": 0.14367923534041638, "structure": "Shipwreck", "container": "Supply chest" }

Fishing

Bamboo can be found while fishing in jungle biomes as a junk item.

Usage

When broken, any bamboo block placed or grown above it is also broken. A bamboo block drops itself as an item if a piston pushes it or moves a block into its space. When bamboo is first placed as a shoot it’s not solid and can be destroyed by water flowing into it. After growing at least one block taller it becomes a solid stalk and cannot be destroyed by water. To transform a bamboo shoot into a solid bamboo block place another bamboo on top of it.

Unlike most plants, bamboo cannot be composted.

Farming

Bamboo can be planted on moss blocks, grass blocks, dirt, coarse dirt, rooted dirt, gravel, mycelium, podzol, sand, red sand, suspicious sand, suspicious gravel, mud, muddy mangrove roots, bamboo shoot, or on itself. At default random tick speed (3), each plant grows on average every 4096 game ticks (204.8 seconds). When bone meal is used on it, it grows by 1–2 blocks. Bamboo can grow up to 12–16 blocks tall. The top of a bamboo plant requires a light level of 9 or above to grow.

Because bamboo breaks in almost the same way as sugar cane, a sugar cane farm can be easily adapted to this use. While water is not needed with such a farm, some spacing is recommended if the harvest is done manually as mature stalks are solid.

Pandas

Bamboo items are eaten by pandas and can be used to speed up the growth of baby pandas. Bamboo can also be used to breed pandas when at least 1 bamboo block (not a bamboo shoot) is within 5 blocks of the pandas, making the panda the only animal in the game to have extra breeding requirements. At this point, the player can feed them bamboo and they mate to have a baby.

Fuel

Bamboo can be used as fuel for smelting. Each bamboo item smelts 0.25 items.

Bamboo can be crafted into other items to increase its fuel efficiency.

• By crafting a Block of Bamboo (9 bamboo) into 2 bamboo planks, 3 items can be smelted instead of 2.25, a 33.3% increase in efficiency.
  • In Bedrock Edition, the fuel efficiency can be further doubled by crafting the bamboo planks into twice the amount of slabs.

Flower pots

Bamboo can be placed in a flower pot, where it retains the design it has in its item form.

Crafting ingredient

Name	Ingredients	Crafting recipe	[hide]Description
Block of Bamboo	Bamboo		Cannot be crafted back into 9 bamboo.
Scaffolding	Bamboo + String	6
Stick	Bamboo

Appearance

The different stages of bamboo growth.

The appearance of bamboo changes as it grows. When first placed, it takes the form of a small shoot that has no hitbox. When it grows one block taller its thickness increases to 2 pixels and the top block has leaves. At 3 blocks tall, the top two blocks have leaves. At 4 blocks tall, the bamboo thickness expands to 3×3 pixels. At 5 blocks tall, the top three blocks have leaves on them, and these blocks remain on top as the bamboo grows. Destroying a block of bamboo does not change the appearance of the blocks below it. Bamboo is oriented randomly in the block that it is in.

Sounds

Bamboo

Java Edition:

[hide] v t e bamboo sound type
Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	​Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	block.bamboo.break	subtitles.block.generic.break​	0.8	0.8	16
	​Block placed	Blocks	When the block is placed	block.bamboo.place	subtitles.block.generic.place​	0.8	0.8	16
	​Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	block.bamboo.hit	subtitles.block.generic.hit​	0.25	0.5	16
	​Something falls on a block	Entity-Dependent	Falling on the block with fall damage	block.bamboo.fall	subtitles.block.generic.fall​	0.5	0.75	16
	​Footsteps	Entity-Dependent	Walking on the block	block.bamboo.step	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps​	0.15	varies	16

Bedrock Edition:

[hide] v t e bamboo sound type
Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Blocks	Once the block has broken	block.bamboo.break	0.8	0.8-1.0
	Blocks	When the block is placed	block.bamboo.place	0.8	0.8-1.0
	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	block.bamboo.hit	0.25	0.5
	Blocks	Falling on the block with fall damage	block.bamboo.fall	0.4	1.0
	Blocks	Walking on the block	block.bamboo.step	0.3	varies
	Blocks	Jumping from the block	jump.wood	0.15	1.0
	Blocks	Falling on the block without fall damage	block.bamboo.fall	0.2	1.0

Bamboo shoot

Java Edition:

[hide] v t e bamboo_sapling sound type
Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	​Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	block.bamboo_sapling.break	subtitles.block.generic.break​	0.9	0.8	16
	​Block placed	Blocks	When the block is placed	block.bamboo_sapling.place	subtitles.block.generic.place​	0.85	0.8	16
	​Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	block.bamboo_sapling.hit	subtitles.block.generic.hit​	0.2	0.5	16
	​Something falls on a block	Entity-Dependent	Falling on the block with fall damage	block.bamboo.fall	subtitles.block.generic.fall​	0.5	0.75	16
	​Footsteps	Entity-Dependent	Walking on the block	block.bamboo.step	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps​	0.15	varies	16

Bedrock Edition:

[hide] v t e bamboo_sapling sound type
Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Blocks	Once the block has broken	block.bamboo_sapling.break	0.9	0.8-1.0
	Blocks	When the block is placed	block.bamboo_sapling.place	0.85	0.8-1.0

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	Block tags	[hide]Translation key
Bamboo	bamboo	Block & Item	bamboo_plantable_on	block.minecraft.bamboo
Bamboo Shoot	bamboo_sapling	Block	bamboo_plantable_on	block.minecraft.bamboo_sapling

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	Form	Item ID	[hide]Translation key
Bamboo	bamboo	418	Block & Giveable Item	Identical (Numeric: -163)	tile.bamboo.name
Bamboo Sapling	bamboo_sapling	419	Block & Ungiveable Item	Identical (Numeric: -164)	tile.bamboo_sapling.name

Block states

Java Edition:
Bamboo

Name	Default value	Allowed values	[hide]Description
age	0	0 1	The age of the bamboo, if this is 1 the bamboo appears thicker.
leaves	none	large none small	The size of the leaves on this bamboo block.
stage	0	0 1	The stage is incremented at random intervals. At stage 1, bamboo may try to grow more bamboo above it.

Bedrock Edition:
Bamboo

Name	Metadata Bits	Default value	Allowed values	Values for Metadata Bits	[hide]Description
age_bit	0x8	false	false true	0 1	The stage is incremented at random intervals. When true, bamboo may try to grow more bamboo above it.
bamboo_leaf_size	0x2 0x4	no_leaves	no_leaves small_leaves large_leaves	0 1 2	The size of the leaves on this bamboo block.
bamboo_stalk_thickness	0x1	thin	thin thick	0 1	The thickness of the bamboo, if this is thick the bamboo appears thicker.

Bamboo Sapling

Name	Metadata Bits	Default value	Allowed values	Values for Metadata Bits	[hide]Description
age_bit	0x1	false	false true	0 1	Specifies the sapling's growth stage.

Achievements

[hide]
Icon		Achievement	In-game description	Actual requirements (if different)	Gamerscore earned	Trophy type (PS)
PS4	Other
		Zoologist	Breed two pandas with bamboo.	—	40	Gold

History

September 29, 2018							Bamboo is announced at MINECON Earth 2018.
[hide]Java Edition
1.14			18w43a				Added bamboo.
							Bamboo as an item can be dropped by bamboo and planted to grow bamboo.
							Added bamboo jungles, where bamboo naturally generates.
1.16			20w06a				"Bamboo Sapling" has been renamed to "Bamboo Shoot".
			20w13a				Bamboo has been moved from the Miscellaneous tab to the Decoration Blocks tab in the Creative inventory.
1.17			21w13a				Bamboo can now be planted on rooted dirt.
			21w16a				Bamboo can now be planted on moss blocks.
1.18			21w39a				Bamboo no longer generates underground.
1.19			22w15a				Bamboo can now be planted on mud.
1.19.3 Experiment Update 1.20			22w42a				Bamboo can now be used to craft bamboo planks.
			22w45a				Bamboo can no longer be used to craft bamboo planks.
							Bamboo can now be used to craft a block of bamboo.
1.19.4 Experiment Update 1.20			23w07a				Bamboo can now be planted on suspicious sand.
1.20			23w14a				Bamboo can now be planted on suspicious gravel.
[hide]Bedrock Edition
1.8.0			beta 1.8.0.8				Added bamboo.
							Bamboo as an item can be dropped by bamboo and planted to grow bamboo.
1.9.0			beta 1.9.0.0				Bamboo can now generate in jungle biomes in single shoots.
							Added bamboo jungles, where bamboo naturally generates.
1.12.0			beta 1.12.0.3				The bamboo texture brightness has been updated to match Java Edition.
1.17.30			beta 1.17.20.20				Swords now break bamboo instantly to match Java Edition.
1.20.0			Preview 1.19.50.21				Bamboo can now be used to craft bamboo planks.
			Preview 1.19.60.20				Bamboo can no longer be used to craft bamboo planks.
							Bamboo can now be used to craft a block of bamboo.
1.20.30			Preview 1.20.20.21				Decreased the hardness and blast resistance of bamboo from 2 to 1.
							Increased the hardness and blast resistance of bamboo shoots from 0 to 1.
1.21.50			Preview 1.21.50.20				Pickaxes and shovels no longer mine bamboo as quickly as axes.
							Swords can now destroy bamboo shoots instantly, while axes no longer mine them faster.
1.21.60			Preview 1.21.60.23				Bamboo no longer generates in sparse jungles.
							Bamboo generates in larger and denser patches in bamboo jungles.
							The width of bamboo generated in bamboo jungles is now consistent across the entire plant.
[hide]PlayStation 4 Edition
1.83							Added bamboo.
							Bamboo as an item can be dropped by bamboo and planted to grow bamboo.

Issues

Issues relating to "Bamboo" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Java Edition

• MC-137793 – Some mobs shoot backwards when on boats, boats with chest, bamboo raft or bamboo raft with chest
• MC-1788 – Ocelots do not spawn naturally on peaceful difficulty in jungle and bamboo jungle biomes
• MC-195168 – Swords consume double durability than they normally would when destroying bamboo saplings, bamboo, or cobwebs
• MC-254785 – Bone meal is used when clicked on a bamboo stalk with a block above it
• MC-267094 – Bamboo and kelp generation are tied to the chunk grid
• MC-279617 – Bamboo fence multipart rendering optimization - requires texture mapping modification
• MC-252695 – Warden shoot backwards when on boats, boats with chest, bamboo raft or bamboo raft with chest
• MC-252697 – Frog can use its tongue to hurt the entity behind it when it's on a boat, boat with chest, bamboo raft or bamboo raft with chest
• MC-252706 – Ravager can ram with their head and roar to attack the enemy behind when it's on boats, boats with chest, bamboo raft or bamboo raft with chest
• MC-275705 – Breaking bamboo with swords ignores player.block_break_speed attribute
• And 37 other open issues.

Bedrock Edition

• MCPE-189879 – Strip wood sounds do not play when stripping Nether stems, cherry logs, or bamboo blocks
• MCPE-62935 – Breaking bamboo creates bamboo sapling particle
• MCPE-64930 – When walking towards bamboo while crouching, you are led to believe you can continue walking, which results in a fall.
• MCPE-151709 – Z-fighting when bamboo is underneath leaves
• MCPE-165012 – Horses do not make wood sounds when walking on Nether wood, bamboo wood, cherry wood, or stems
• MCPE-170737 – Bamboo raft has an Z-fighting with some half blocks
• MCPE-175805 – The side of bamboo fences that connect to blocks have a stretched texture

Trivia

• Because bamboo grows quickly (on average 1 growth per 200 seconds), just 500 plants in an automatic farm produce more items than a hopper can collect (2.5 items per second). A single hopper can move only enough items to keep 6.25 furnaces running.
• Bamboo is the fastest-growing plant in Minecraft, which reflects its status as the fastest-growing plant known in real life.
• While bamboo cannot be composted in Minecraft, it can be composted in real life.

Gallery

Renders

• 

  Grown bamboo with three parts.

Screenshots

• 

  The first image featuring bamboo, from MINECON Earth 2018.

• 

  A group of pandas eating bamboo, shown at MINECON Earth 2018.

• 

  Planted bamboo growing.

• 

  A bamboo shoot growing through a tree.

• 

  Bamboo seen in a jungle biome.

• 

  Bamboo jungle in an Amplified world in 1.19-rc2.

• 

  Multiple naturally generated bamboo stems growing by a river.

In other media

• 

  Zuri chopping down bamboo for a baby panda.

• 

  Smartphone wallpaper of the aforementioned artwork, showing more of the treetops and bamboo.

• 

  Packing for the Diamond Level Panda, modeled after bamboo.