The fastest growing plant can increase up to 35 inches (or 90 cm) in one day. What is it?

While it might look like a forest of trees, the world's fastest-growing plant is actually a member of the grass family. Its secret to such explosive growth lies in its extensive underground root system, known as rhizomes. This network (Review) acts like a massive, shared energy reserve. When a new shoot, or culm, emerges, it already has its full diameter. Instead of growing wider, it simply elongates by rapidly filling its cells with water, almost like an extending telescope (Deals).

This incredible process allows certain species, particularly Moso bamboo, to achieve astonishing speeds under ideal tropical conditions. The record growth rate is nearly 1.5 inches per hour, which adds up to the stunning 35-inch (or 90 cm) total in just one day. This initial growth spurt only lasts for a few months, during which the culm reaches its final height. After that, it will not grow any taller for the rest of its multi-year lifespan. This rapid life cycle is what makes it such a famously renewable resource for everything from construction to textiles.