A Polk County citrus grower is betting that bamboo could be another viable cash crop for Florida.

  • Byron Matteson planting bamboo in Frostproof
  • Matteson gets bamboo plants from Italy-based company
  • Bamboo shoots can be harvested quickly for many uses

Byron Matteson has been looking for alternatives to citrus, because plant diseases like citrus greening have been taking their toll on his business. He's now planting 35 acres of bamboo near Frostproof.

Why bamboo? According to Matteson, it's all about versatility.

“It’s kind of unlimited. Anything you can do with wood you can do with bamboo,” said Matteson.

People also eat bamboo shoots. In fact, some people consider bamboo a "super food."

“Good grief, they make toilet paper out of it and paper towels and copy paper, so it’s very, very, very broad,” he said.

Matteson gets his plants from Italy-based OnlyMoso, a company that grows plants for the United States at nurseries in Florida. OnlyMoso guarantees to buy Matteson’s harvests for at least 10 years at a minimum price per pound.

In addition to versatility, bamboo has an advantage in how quickly you can start harvesting shoots for food and stalks for wood and other uses.

“In citrus you are waiting five, three to five years before you get any kind of volume," Matteson explained. "[Bamboo] turns around in the latter part of the second year ... first part of the third year you can start harvesting shoots.”

Onlymoso believes there is enough demand for Bamboo products in the United States to support 14,000 acres of bamboo plantations.