When I went to take pics today the purplish color seems to be fading away :( but they still have a lil color left. I've had this plant in a pot for a few years and it almost died on me when I stopped watering it for awhile, just too busy sometimes. I threw it in the ground temporarily so I wouldn't have to water it haha....Just wish somebody would come get some buddha belly bamboo so I can have a permanent place for it. The leaves were curling from the heat so no full plant shot, I was going to water it and take a pic, but retreated from the heat to the AC :)

It's very interesting, but it still doesn't look like petrified bamboo to me. Here is why I think that: 1. The rounded nodal joints don't have the structure that bamboo does (take a look at some closeup photos of bamboo nodes and you'll see) 2. The node spacing in relation to the length and diameter of the object differs greatly from that of most any bamboo I've seen 3. The totally uniform color and glossiness are unlikely for a petrified object 4. You mention mineralization, but I don't see any evidence of the mineralization I would expect with something petrified. It looks very new, and my best guess is that it's a bone or resin carving that is the artist's interpretation of a piece of bamboo. I'm curious what the ends look like and how weighty it feels.

I'm adding to this thread because it seems like many folks who are posting comments here don't have a thorough background in the toxicity of a wide variety of home remodeling materials. Unless you buy your flooring (wood, bamboo, cork, etc.) from a well-known, long-running green housing material distributor, it is likely that your flooring is filled with toxic glues, sealers, and other chemicals that produce VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Bamboo in particular has a lot of glue because bamboo stalks are so thin (look at a bamboo cutting board to fully appreciate how much glue is needed). I have a MPH degree (Master of Public Health) and one of my areas of expertise is environmental health. I'm currently renovating a new condo apartment and for every material, I had to buy it from a specialty distributor that carefully vetted their product portfolio. The benefit of buying from green supply companies -- living in a healthy home. The challenge of purchasing green, healthy building materials -- cost. Green materials are more expensive. But, if you add up all the costs related to adverse health reactions and getting medical treatment to address them...then cheaper, less healthy building materials aren't so cheap, are they? A good place to start is Green Building Supply (based in Illinois, they have a great website), which ships all over the U.S. I bought cork flooring from them, they're great. Can't recommend them enough. They carry a wide array of building materials including safe paints, safe caulks and sealers, safe flooring, etc. If you want to get advice before a purchase, check out the website, 'My Chemical Free House.' Corinne is a building biologist and her site is filled with awesome tips for choosing safe and healthy building materials. Take good care & stay safe!

Not sure why the first link isn't working. Here it is again: Bamboo Forest