The trouble with Bamboo is…
When people think of Bamboo, images of tall green stalks and majestic scenes comes to mind. It’s no surprise that Bamboo is one of the most popular ornamental plants. So why is it that homeowners are being urged to stop planting Bamboo in their gardens and why are legal troubles surrounding Bamboo increasing?
Let’s take a look.
It’s well liked
Bamboo is very popular. And with good reason – it grows quickly, looks amazing and provides a range of benefits to the environment. Here are some interesting facts and benefits that Bamboo can provide.
It’s easy on the eyes
Bamboo is a stunning plant that can provide lush green foliage and amazing visuals with its unique stalks (fun fact: scientifically, Bamboo is considered a grass). Bamboo has been embraced by garden designers in the UK for the creation of contemporary gardens and Japanese style gardens. It also creates aesthetic natural screens.
It’s fast – really fast
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet. It has been recorded growing as fast as 1 metre in height 24-hour period, and the underground rhizomes can grow as much as 5 metres from the parent plant. It is due to its fast-growing properties that make it a popular choice for homeowners to use as a natural privacy screen, hedge or feature plant.
It balances CO2 and Oxygen
Bamboo is great at producing oxygen and it’s considered a crucial element in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide. A grove of Bamboo can release 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees can. Bamboo can be considered a good choice to reduce the carbon footprint and help fight global warming.
It can be an alternative to wood
Due to its super growing speed, Bamboo can be ready to harvest in 3 to 5 years. This is compared to the 10-20 years for softwoods. Compared to pine, it’s capable of yielding 6 times more. Bamboo has a long tradition of being used as a structural material and it’s used as scaffolding in construction in areas of Asia, Africa and South America (though, these aren’t likely to be the types that you have in your garden, so don’t get any wild ideas)
It causes real issues – Bamboo’s Dark Side
So, despite all the benefits that Bamboo can bring, why are homeowners being discouraged from planting?
Let’s look at the dark side of Bamboo.
Invasive behaviours
Bamboo isn’t classed as an invasive species by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. As a result, there are no restrictions on planting Bamboo. However – some species show invasive behaviours. There are two distinct types of Bamboo; clumping and running.
Bamboo does not spread through seeding, they spread through their root systems – rhizomes (underground stems). Therefore, understanding the difference between ‘clumping’ Bamboo and ‘running’ Bamboo is important.
Clumping Bamboo is known as sympodial. It has shorter rhizomes that typically tend to stay closer, and the Bamboo will grow in patches. Running Bamboo on the other hand is monopodial. This means that it has longer rhizomes and tends to extend horizontally and ‘run’ outwards.
The rhizomes of running Bamboo can extend well beyond their intended planting area and without proper management, can quickly get out of control causing a wide-spread infestation that can get beyond the borders of your property and into many neighbouring properties. However, running and clumping Bamboo should both be classed as invasive, even supposedly harmless clumping types can be a nuisance and cause serious issues if left untreated.
Bamboo property damage
When it comes to damage, Bamboo is similar to the dreaded Japanese knotweed. As it grows, its shoots will stubbornly push through anything that gets in the way. Bamboo can push through bricks, drains, cavity walls, patios and will target weaknesses or cracks in concrete.
This can be quite a frustrating thing for any homeowner or commercial landowner, but it’s even more so for neighbouring properties and can result in legal troubles.
Bamboo can cause neighbour issues
As we discussed – running Bamboo can spread far beyond the intended planting area. This includes onto neighbouring properties – this is known as ‘encroachment.’ As the bamboo moves onto their land, your neighbour will end up having to hire skilled professionals to eradicate the infestation.
There are increasing numbers of encroachment cases being brought forward due to Bamboo. If the Bamboo is found to have spread from a neighbouring property, then you can be entitled to compensation.
It’s important to note that if the problem isn’t resolved, it can even lead to further serious problems!
How to control bamboo
If you want to know how to kill Bamboo infestations, then there are a number of ways to do it. However, there are two primary options:
Herbicide control
There are a range of techniques and treatment options which use special chemicals – herbicides. These are designed to control and kill Bamboo growth. The method of application for herbicides will depend on the species and the level of growth. This is an area where you should bring in a professional to conduct a survey. A surveyor will be able to help you understand how far the Bamboo has spread and what the best treatment options are.
Excavation
Excavation results in the eradication of the immediate infestation and this is achieved by careful excavation of the above ground and below ground elements of the plant. Bamboo doesn’t tend to grow very deeply into the ground, but it can spread out quite far (especially if it’s one of those running types that we talked about earlier).
Again, before any sort of excavation takes place, it would be best to speak with a professional and get yourself a survey. With a survey, you will be able to precisely determine the spread and ensure tidy and targeted removal.
Wrapping it up
Who knew that such a famous plant like Bamboo could have such a dark side? If you need help controlling Bamboo, or if you think that your property is being encroached upon by rogue Bamboo invaders, don’t hesitate to check out our Bamboo control services.