Hans:
I recall a story by a well known Bamboo expert who went looking for new (to him) bamboo species in the mountains of northern Thailand with a guide who only spoke a local dialect. The guide only used two words for the different types of bamboo that they found. It wasn't until later that the expert learned that the locals used the two words to mean "bitter" and "sweet". So I'd say that the choice of species is the most important.
Cultural conditions and the age of the shooting culm at harvest made some difference.
Bruce
__._,_.___
