Bamboo FAQ's

Is all bamboo invasive?

Phyllostachys species showing ridge on culm. It's easy to tell running from clumping bamboo: runners always have a ridge or groove on the culm, whereas culms of clumpers are perfectly round. Check the label: in this area, most common runners are in the genus Phyllostachys. Most common clumpers are in the genus Bambusa. But bamboo can be mislabeled, so it's wise to double-check!

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Can running bamboo be controlled?

o Bamboo can be planted in lawn areas and maintained by keeping the grass clear for several feet past the grove, usually with herbicides. Rhizomes and shoots that show up are then dug out. Done annually, this isn't too arduous.
o Concrete contains bamboo, although rhizomes have been known to grow along the expansion joints that are left in paths and driveways.
o A trench filled with coarse gravel or cobble provides a visible line to follow and watch for rhizomes.
o Rhizomes will not grow into dry soil, so unirrigated areas provide a natural barrier. Rhizomes also will not grow far into open water. A moat or pond can contain them.
o Running bamboo is excellent in a container. The rhizomes simply circle around and around, eventually getting quite root-bound, so the plant will need frequent watering after the first year or so. But bamboo can survive and look attractive for many years, even when totally root-bound.

How do I get rid of running bamboo?

How do I plant a bamboo hedge?

A well-established, unpruned hedge of one of the best clumping bamboo varieties for our are: Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr'. This one features golden-striped culms and dense, yellow-green foliage.

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Is it ok to prune bamboo?

Prune bamboo? Sure! This amazing bamboo labyrinth is at Bambouseraie in Prafrance, southern France

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How fast does bamboo grow?

Can I grow bamboo as a house plant?

What about "lucky bamboo"?

Dracaena sanderana, the "Lucky Bamboo" that isn't a bamboo at all!

Does bamboo die when it flowers?

What is eating my bamboo?

Can I eat my bamboo shoots?

Is bamboo drought tolerant?

A rhizome is a stem which grows at ground level, just above or below the soil. It produces roots at each node, and shoots at intervals. If the nodes are close together, and the rhizome ends in a shoot, the plant forms a tight clump. If the nodes are widely spaced and the shoots branch off a continuous stem, the plant forms an open grove. Photo courtesy of Texas Bamboo Society; illustration by Bob Clune

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Glossary:

o rhizome: horizontal stem which grows at ground level, rooting at the nodes and sending up shoots at intervals.
o shoot: the fully divided, ready-to-grow culm, before it expands. We eat bamboo shoots.
o culm: the fully grown, expanded shoot. Pandas eat bamboo culms (and leaves).

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