Gardeners warned over 'nightmare' plant that can cost thousands to remove

EXPERTS HAVE CALLED FOR BAMBOO TO BE SOLD WITH A WARNING DUE TO ITS 'INVASIVE' NATURE, WITH SOME VARIETIES ABLE TO SPREAD 'UNNOTICED' AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO PAVING AND

PROPERTIES 11:32, 31 May 2025 Households have been warned to exercise caution when adding a common plant to their gardens that has been described as a "nightmare" by fellow

gardeners. Bamboo is a popular choice due to its striking look - but experts have called for it to be sold with a warning due to its "invasive" nature. Invasive plant specialists

at Environet have insisted that garden centres and plant nurseries should include written warnings on bamboo to make customers aware of the risks associated with planting it. "Many

people are unaware that it can be invasive if left unchecked," the experts cautioned. Spreading bamboo can even impact the value of a property, Today's Conveyancer reports, who

also highlighted research indicating that nearly a quarter of people would walk away from a house sale if they were made aware of a bamboo problem. The property professionals said that it

typically costs around £3,500 to remove bamboo from a residential property. Meanwhile, Facebook group Gardening UK has seen dozens of posts in recent months from gardeners seeking advice

after experiencing problems with bamboo. One person wrote: "It is indeed a nightmare. The sharp shoots come up through the lawn, the beds, all over." Another member of the group

said: "We purchased our property without investigating the bamboo problem. We've been pulling roots out for at least three months now." OUR CHRONICLELIVE DAILY NEWSLETTER IS

FREE. YOU CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE IT HERE. It will keep you up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from the North East. Article continues below And someone else

commented: "My neighbour's bamboo is starting to rip up my patio and fence." Experts at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) note that while bamboo is a "useful"

garden plant which provides "attractive evergreen screening and colourful stems", gardeners should always be aware of its potential problems before planting it. The RHS explained

that the types of bamboo most likely to be "problematic" are running types, which produce underground stems called rhizomes. Rhizomes are capable of growing shoots and roots from

any nodes along their length, and generally growing in the top 30cm of soil. They can travel a considerable distance from their parent plant, potentially causing problems across the garden

and even into neighbour's gardens too. The RHS advised: "Running types of bamboo spread quickly if given favourable growing conditions and are difficult to eradicate once

established, so are often viewed as weeds. Although the rhizomes aren't particularly deep, they can spread over 1m each year, often unnoticed until they send up shoots, which will

compete with other plants for moisture, nutrients, space, and light." The experts also noted that there have been cases where bamboo has caused damage to hard surfaces such paving,

tarmac and even buildings, due to the rhizomes being "incredibly strong". While the RHS pointed out that many clump-forming bamboos are "well-behaved, attractive and

useful", it advises that gardeners contact a professional surveyor if they are concerned about the plant in their outside space. Environet has issued the following top tips for

gardeners to help stop bamboo spreading: Article continues below * Choose a clumping variety such as Fargesia or Chusquea. * Always plant bamboo in a container or strong pot – never directly

into the ground. * Use a strong vertical root barrier to line the container, which is designed to contain bamboo. * Prune the plant hard and regularly, at least every spring, to keep it in

check.