Soliciting Informed Opinions on Bamboo

[DeeCee Dubya]

Please reply if you have first-hand experience using bamboo in your landscaping. The good the bad and the ugly.
Thanks, Doug

[Two Bills]

Clump forming is good.
All other bamboo is a thug and spreads everwhere.
JMTC.

[Bjeanj]

We had some in our yard when we bought our home. Grows very tall, very quickly. Thicker shoots are difficult to trim. Sends out roots and spreads where you don’t want it. VERY dense root system. Cannot thin it out.

[graciegirl]

Please reply if you have first-hand experience using bamboo in your landscaping. The good the bad and the ugly.
Thanks, Doug

I have not. It has a bad reputation;

Clumping Bamboo - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/clumping-bamboo.html)

[tophcfa]

Spreads like wildfire and difficult to remove, bad combination for the small lots in the Villages.

[Happydaz]

I have it and it is growing on the side of my house. It was supposed to grow up to six feet tall but grows higher in my yard. This is Florida and things grow bigger! I do trim it to keep it under control. It is a clumping variety of bamboo, similar to what The Villages plants off the multi modal paths down around 466A. Running types are not good to plant as they become invasive. The clumping types are like a clump of landscape grass that grows a little wider each year. Just keep an eye on it! Removing it would be a tough job of digging, but I haven’t felt the need to do that. It looks good and gives a tropical feel to the yard. My wife and I like it.

[DangeloInspections]

There are two types, clumping and spreading. You want the clumping. Many varieties. One of the more popular is called green stripe.
Not too far from here there is a nursery that specializes in only Bamboo. They are on Rt 19 in Groveland.
I would speak to them rather than get opinions here on the subject. Their website is Bamboo from Florida for Privacy & Beauty. Fast-Growing, Non-Invasive Florida grown Clump and Running Bamboos, near Orlando, Florida | Need Privacy? Want Beauty? Plant Bamboo! Fast-Growing, Non-Invasive Florida grown Clump and Running Bamboos - Giant, (http://www.beautifulbamboo.com) Their phone number is 352-429-2425. Hope that helps!

[Tmarkwald]

It is an amazing tree/plant whatever. It will grow to cover a half acre in less than a year. The only way to keep it under control that I know of is stainless steel barriers about 3 feet deep as a wall because this stuff grows like crazy. You'll think its under control and then 30 feet away on the other side of you driveway it will pop up. The root system travels that far. The only way I have seen it eradicated once it's gone rogue is with a backhoe and a compete removal of all the earth down 3 feet. In some areas, mortgage companies will not even consider a home with bamboo growing on it..

It's beautiful, but very bad news to have bamboo on your property.

https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/property-excavation-due-to-neighbor-s-invasive-plants-who-pays-46847

Should seller have disclosed bamboo on the property? (PA) : RealEstate (https://www.reddit.com/r/RealEstate/comments/4l3pqn/should_seller_have_disclosed_bamboo_on_the/)

bamboo | Tree and Neighbor Law For Homeowners and Professionals (https://treeandneighborlawblog.com/tag/bamboo/)

Q: My neighbor’s bamboo is becoming a problem for my property. What can I do to keep it under control? - UF/IFAS Extension Nassau County (http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/nassauco/2017/07/18/q-neighbors-bamboo-becoming-problem-property-can-keep-control/)

[Two Bills]

We have had a clump of Black Bamboo, (Phyllostachys nigra) it hides a neighbors shed, in our garden in UK for years.
Easy to control, highest it has reached is about ten foot but average stems are 6-8foot.
It requires little or no maintainance, we just cut out poor and broken stems annually.
You treat it as a grass, which it is, but we never feed ours, so expansion is very slow.
Grows green then stems turn black.
Stear clear of the fast growing and 'travelling' varieties.
They are a menace!

[Willis56]

All of the above and shedding too.

[bobdeb]

On my personal list of 'things not to plant' in TV. As opposed to 'things I wish I had never planted' in TV.

[skippy05]

In 1988 I took a tiny sprig of bamboo home and planted it in the corner of my father's vegetable garden so that he would have a free source of bamboo canes to use as stakes in his garden. Two years later he was very unhappy with what I had done. The bamboo was uncontrollable and unstoppable. UNREAL invasive and can even travel UNDER driveways to spread to the other side. Just try to stop it once it has established itself. You can not. No amount of digging or herbicides can stop it once it has taken a good grip with its rhizomes root system. I would ONLY recommend planting it if you have lots of acres of land and do not care if great portions of it are overtaken by this beautiful but uncontrollabel plant.

[irishwonone]

I would not recommend bamboo near your home. You will notice TV used it on the outside of privacy walls but not right next to homes. We are dealing with it currently as prior owner planted it. Uncontrollable as we cut it down but near impossible to remove from ground and it grows back. Believe me you don’t want this close to your home. If you have 3/4 to one acre property size it could work.

[annerussell]

I have bamboo and apparently it is the spreading kind. Wish I had read these replies before I put it in. On the other hand, I love it. It is about 6 -8 feet tall and I have it trimmed every year or so. I did have steel barriers put in to keep it from growing in front of the electrical equipment in my yard (cut it out in that spot at the request of SECO )
It makes a beautiful backdrop in the yard and affords real privacy.

[DangeloInspections]

Here is a paragraph right from the nursery website;

One of the first things to decide when you are thinking about planting bamboo is whether to get clumping bamboo or running bamboo. Clumping bamboos are similar in growth habit to any shrub. They grow gradually outward from the center with new canes growing taller and getting larger in diameter every year. The most important characteristic of clump bamboos is that, unlike running bamboos, they do not spread by sending underground shoots far away from the main plant. A clumping variety of bamboo is a safe and attractive plant to add to any landscape. It is NOT invasive. For a privacy hedge, plant clumping bamboos anywhere from 4- to 10-feet apart. When planted 4- to 6-feet apart in enriched, irrigated soil, clumping varieties will form a solid hedge in just one growing season. If planted further apart, it will take a couple years longer. Either way, in a short time clumping bamboos form a tall, thick green border with towering canes that bend in the breeze.
Unlike clumping bamboos, running bamboos do send shoots away from the mother plant and have the potential to be invasive. In some varieties the new shoots will travel only a few inches but in other runners the shoots might travel 10-feet or more away from the mother plant. While this may present a problem in certain landscapes, in other situations it is a positive characteristic. When planted 3- to 10-feet apart, the growth pattern of running bamboos enables them to turn into dense and beautiful hedges. They can be controlled by mowing a wide (10′ to 25′) area around the planting bed, with a bamboo barrier, or by a natural barrier such as a body of water, a road, or a pasture which is grazed or mowed regularly.
Running bamboos grow taller and thicker in cooler climates than they do in more tropical settings. While we can grow many varieties of running bamboo in Florida, the plants don’t develop as impressively in our climate as they do in more temperate parts of the country. On the other hand, clumping bamboos prefer a tropical climate where temperatures rarely go below 15 to 28 degrees. Both clumping and running bamboos will provide a quick impenetrable hedge, graceful grove, or attractive spot planting.

My neighbor planted some clumping bamboo along one side of their birdcage to give privacy to their pool. They did this 15 years ago. It has NOT spread and has stayed where they wanted it. Looks great, does the job. Minimal care needed.

[Villagesgal]

Don't do it. I put in clumping when we first moved in. It kept getting wider and wider. Tried to cut it down and poured roundup direct full strength undiluted on it, it grew back. Did this for 2 years, you can't kill it. Finally we had a hurricane come threw that knocked it over with roots in the air. We paid a landscaper to tie a chain around the whole thing and Rip the rest out of the ground using his pickup truck, then poured concentrated Roundup all over the hole it left. Thank God that did it. I will never again plant any type of bamboo in my yard. Think long and hard before you put that pretty little plant in your yard.

[bowlingal]

I am starting to shake as I read these responses, bringing back memories of my house in NY where my neighbor planted running bamboo. Impossible to control, came up under my driveway, pool and sidewalk, ruining them. It constantly drops leaves which have to be cleaned up, if you want to keep your property nice looking. When I was selling my house, I kept my fingers crossed as my real estate agent pointed out the good about bamboo. Privacy, green all year, pretty to look at. I won't even mention the problems when it snowed, does not matter here. Couldn't get away fast enough from that house, even though I loved the house. Clumping bamboo is the way to go, if you must have it. For me, I hope I never live anywhere near it again.

[PoolBrews]

My experience with bamboo is a little different :)

As part of my pool "landscaping" I have a lot of bamboo... in my Tiki bar! All real bamboo was used in my first retirement project 3 years ago:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/members/lrvalley-55982/albums/pool/9284-bamboo-tiki-bar.jpg

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/members/lrvalley-55982/albums/pool/9285-img-20200823-113900-a.jpg

[sallyg]

We have had a clumping type of bamboo for several years. It is disease free and very hardy, surviving our 28' winter a few years ago. It is maintenance free except it drops a fair amount of leaves. Visit "Beautiful Bamboo" in Groveland, south of the Villages for an interesting experience and huge selection of bamboo.

[Tmarkwald]

My experience with bamboo is a little different :)

As part of my pool "landscaping" I have a lot of bamboo... in my Tiki bar! All real bamboo was used in my first retirement project 3 years ago:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/members/lrvalley-55982/albums/pool/9284-bamboo-tiki-bar.jpg

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/members/lrvalley-55982/albums/pool/9285-img-20200823-113900-a.jpg

Now that I like. Very very cool!

[Paula]

Check out Beautiful Bamboo in Groveland: Bamboo from Florida for Privacy & Beauty. Fast-Growing, Non-Invasive Florida grown Clump and Running Bamboos, near Orlando, Florida | Need Privacy? Want Beauty? Plant Bamboo! Fast-Growing, Non-Invasive Florida grown Clump and Running Bamboos - Giant, mid-size and Dwarf varieties - 30 min. west of Orlando, Florida. (https://beautifulbamboo.com/). They have a slew of different kinds of bamboo, running and clumping. They are experts - that's what they do. Before you decide, take a drive and check it out.

[Bay Kid]

Only if you don't like your neighbors. Spreads like a wild fire.

[DeeCee Dubya]

Great info, I was aware that some species are much easier to manage than others. Appreciate everyone’s input thanks so much. I will proceed with caution. Doug

[DeeCee Dubya]

Looks great, what time does happy hour start :-)

[giorgio1948]

We had bamboo in Key West....They can be very beautiful and grows fast...the only issue we found was that they are very very messy when shedding there leafs. Black bamboo is very attractive.

[Two Bills]

Only if you don't like your neighbors. Spreads like a wild fire.

Wrong.
If you plant the right species, it doesn't.
You are just condemning all types without considering the alternatives.

[J1ceasar]

We planted about 50 ft of bamboo in our yard in New Jersey, there are many types from a short 4-ft to 24 ft tall versions. Depending on the type you get you have to build a wall in the soil so it doesn't spread. There are many nurseries in Florida with bamboo for you to look at and it's a beautiful addition to a yard if you get the right types, also note the bark can be very different from type to type as well as the coloring. We really enjoyed our bamboo and I miss it. It's not grown as much here because of the non-native palms everyone seems to plant but forget that they have to take care of and trim all the time. Bamboo on the other hand will take care of itself and of course the advantage is that it doesn't widen like an oak tree if you get the right types. Again the nurseries arer your friends and have a lot of information

[jimjamuser]

I have not. It has a bad reputation;

Clumping Bamboo - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/clumping-bamboo.html)
Had a bad experience with it spreading out of control. It is hard to kill. Another bad thing about bamboo is that it attracts HORNETS big time. They must eat some part of the plant.

[Woodchopper545]

Bamboo is an invasive species. I once owned a house in Costa Rica and my gardener told me that he had planted a single row of bamboo years ago. When I told him to cut it back, we found it had grown over 6 feet thick along one side of my property. Every week he had to chop out new growth in the orchard of fruit trees or it would have been overran. It took me two years to finally chop its new growth. Don’t need chemicals, just chop the sprouts.

Bottom line, ONLY plant bamboo in containers. You and your neighbors will be much happier.

[SERENITY52]

Spread like weeds. Can't get rid of them

[jrzeis@tampabay.rr.com]

Clumping kind only but don't it. But... if you must and you change your mind it is almost impossible to rid of. Same goes for banana trees. They both hold on to lots of water and a water source that attracts critters you don't want. Cock Roaches and rats.

[merrymini]

In some places, communities have outlawed the planting of bamboo because of their invasiveness. However, there are varieties that donot run. If you really want it, do your homework.

[cassjax2]

My neighbor has added bamboo to her landscaping - I’m tired of daily sweeping up her dried leaves on my porch and driveway (and we live 2 doors down!).

[PoolBrews]

Looks great, what time does happy hour start :-)

Generally every day , all afternoon/evening :)

I'm a homebrewer, so always 3 beers on tap!

[Bellavita]

Yes I love it

[Jerry Leinsing]

Belongs in a jungle. A neighbor put bamboo flooring in their den. Within a year it had spread to all the other rooms in their house. If you get talked into this stuff after all these warnings, you will finally get the point. Florida is where the elderly get to make mistakes over and over and the do it again.

[PugMom]

I have it and it is growing on the side of my house. It was supposed to grow up to six feet tall but grows higher in my yard. This is Florida and things grow bigger! I do trim it to keep it under control. It is a clumping variety of bamboo, similar to what The Villages plants off the multi modal paths down around 466A. Running types are not good to plant as they become invasive. The clumping types are like a clump of landscape grass that grows a little wider each year. Just keep an eye on it! Removing it would be a tough job of digging, but I haven’t felt the need to do that. It looks good and gives a tropical feel to the yard. My wife and I like it.

yours looks nice! my in-laws had it @ their home, it grew wild like others have said & is really hard to control

[kyralud]

Or get a Panda to eat the bamboo...

[palmetto20@gmail.com]

Just don't put it in your yard -- unless you own acreage !!

[yabbadu]

Please reply if you have first-hand experience using bamboo in your landscaping. The good the bad and the ugly.
Thanks, Doug

Nasty, Nasty stuff...... My neighbor behind us planted it and now it over 16 ft high and expensive to maintain.

Has caused drainage problems due to expansion at root base.

Too many other nice things to plant in Florida. Save your money and aggravation down the road.

:pray:

[kcrazorbackfan]

I have it and it is growing on the side of my house. It was supposed to grow up to six feet tall but grows higher in my yard. This is Florida and things grow bigger! I do trim it to keep it under control. It is a clumping variety of bamboo, similar to what The Villages plants off the multi modal paths down around 466A. Running types are not good to plant as they become invasive. The clumping types are like a clump of landscape grass that grows a little wider each year. Just keep an eye on it! Removing it would be a tough job of digging, but I haven’t felt the need to do that. It looks good and gives a tropical feel to the yard. My wife and I like it.

Looks a lot like the marijuana I chopped down as a Trooper. 😳

[Spsmith444]

[QUOTE=DeeCee Dubya;1945929]Please reply if you have first-hand experience using bamboo in your landscaping. The good the bad and the ugly.
Thanks, Doug[/QUOTE}]

Took me a little over 2 years of fighting it daily to destroy it. My spouse calls it devils grass. Hate, hate, hate it. Your neighbors will hate, hate, hate it. DONT DO IT.

[stan the man]

I have not. It has a bad reputation;

Clumping Bamboo - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/clumping-bamboo.html)

Please reply if you have first-hand experience using bamboo in your landscaping

[daspiva]

Please reply if you have first-hand experience using bamboo in your landscaping. The good the bad and the ugly.
Thanks, Doug

Bamboos can be very invasive! They're great privacy hedges/trees and I had planted 2 different varieties at my home in Merritt Island 20 years ago. The ones that I planted had these tiny hairline sort of splinters that came off of them in the wind and into my pool all the time. They can grow like crazy. I had to wear a long sleeve shirt to even cut them. Just be aware of that and if you plant them, try to keep the growth under control yourself because, lots of tree trimmers don't care to have to cut them or they want to charge extra. Oh and wear a long sleeve shirt too.

[Bay Kid]

Every spring it invades the rear parking lot at my office from my neighbor. Comes right thru the asphalt. Everyday new growth up to 10 inches high. And what a mess from the leaves make when blown around. Be nice to your neighbors and don't plant any.

[MrFlorida]

Don't do it, you will be quickly overrun , and it's almost impossible to remove.

[Tmarkwald]

I get the idea the poster is looking for good reason to put in the bamboo, and really doesn't want our opinions.

I'd ask the neighbors if they will mind the bamboo growing onto their property and through the cracks in the driveway and onto their lawns and flower beds.

I'd ask the neighbors now, so they have a chance to put their home on the market and move BEFORE anyone notices bamboo is growing there.....

And I'd close this thread now, as there is no doubt that our experiences and opinions really don't matter...

[Calisport]

neighbor had non-clumping bamboo. It is a nuisance and grew wild and over my fence at my old house. I think it was eventually eliminated. Clumping bamboo stays in one place mainly.

[RICH1]

Stick with Kudzu...less evasive