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In many bamboos flowering often commences at the beginning of the "dormant" season - be that the dry season or the cool season - and is followed by seed drop a few months later, and sometimes death thereafter. If a whole plant flowers, then flowering may encompass the entire plant, including the rhizomes, which can produce new flowering culms.
Bamboos do not necessarily die after flowering, but death is much more likely if set seed is heavy. In fact, only the parts that flower will die, and so if only one culm flowers, only that culm will die. If all the culms flower, the whole plant will die.