Abstract Thermal diffusivity (ThD) of Phyllostachys edulis (Moso bamboo) has been determined in three directions of the cylindrical coordinate system of the culm. A flash tube and an infrared camera system was utilised for this purpose. The results, calculated by the MATLAB programme, serve as a database for numerical simulation studies concerning the heat and moisture transfer behaviour of Moso bamboo. The porosity and complexity of cellular structure and interconnectivity are the essential parametres influencing the ThD of Moso bamboo.