Invasive bamboo has become a big problem for homeowners, with horticulturalists reporting a surge in inquiries over the past year relating to bamboo removal.
Garden centers should place warnings on bamboo to highlight the risks of planting it in their gardens, specialists have warned.
The plant is increasingly popular in urban areas as a green screen. While in the 1970s and 1980s fast-growing leylandii hedges were all the rage, they have been replaced by bamboo, which takes up less room at ground level, is hardy and easy to grow, and tolerates most soils.
However, most species are invasive if left unchecked, with the “running” varieties sending out long lateral shoots that can spread 30ft underground to emerge in neighboring gardens and beneath fences and patios.
Source: The Times
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