Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 17, 1991 TAG: 9103180324
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: E-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN ARBOGAST
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Of course, the Roanoke City Extension Office has had calls or letters over the years about getting rid of bamboo, and there supposedly are stories about lawsuits in this country by neighbors whose yards were taken over by bamboo from the property next door, or of bamboo growing through asphalt.
Let's look at bamboo as a possibility that we can live with for this area. There are many situations in which the right bamboo's spreading characteristic can work to the gardener's advantage, such as in privacy screens and on some steep banks.
First, bamboo is a woody grass plant, ranging in size from a few feet in height to 100 feet. There are at least 1,200 species of bamboo, most of which grow in the tropics, and are not suited for this area. One of the thoughts we get when we hear the word bamboo is of those canes, or hollow stalks, that are the vegetative shoots called "culms."
Those who would like to try bamboos but are afraid even to think about it should realize that there are two types of bamboo: the running ones, some of which have given bamboo a bad reputation; and the clump bamboos. The running type send out underground stems from which new above-ground shoots or culms grow in the spring. This is the hardiest and, therefore, may be more easily grown here than the clump kind.
Clump bamboos, as the name suggests, do not spread as rapidly as the others, but it is possible for roots of a single mature clump to spread out 25 feet in all directions if the soil conditions are ideal. Clump bamboos are usually subtropical and tropical species and most will not survive our winters outdoors.
It is critical in bamboo selection to read all the information in the catalog or magazine to see what type an advertised variety is and what is said about its invasive qualities.
When looking at bamboo variety information in nursery catalogs or magazines, pay careful attention to the zone of hardiness listed for each. Roanoke is approximately between zones 7 and 6. The average annual minimum temperature for zone 7 is 5 to 0 degrees F.; for zone 6, -5 to -10 degrees F.
Plant hardiness zones are based on the coldest expected temperature for a particular area. The larger number zones will have milder climates and the zone numbers decrease as the climate gets colder.
For bamboos, it is probably safe to assume that catalogs tend to list the hardiness that will keep the bamboo top growth alive. If a homeowner doesn't mind the bamboo experiencing winter-kill of the top growth with the roots quickly producing new shoots and leaves in the spring, it may be worth trying bamboo that is one zone number more tender.
For a bamboo border or privacy screen, we must consider the soil, which should be loose and capable of holding adequate moisture without being waterlogged, and the amount of light. Most bamboos do best in full or nearly full sunshine, but some need semi-shade.
Even with the running type, it is possible to restrict the planting by kicking over the brittle young shoots when they first appear, which may be only for a month or so in the spring.
A few bamboos with their type and expected height that may be suitable in Roanoke are:
Black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra), a running type, to 25 feet.
Blue clump bamboo (Fargesia nitida, syns. Arundinaria, Sinarundinaria nitida), evergreen, clump type, to about 20 feet or other clump bamboo listed as Fargesia murielae, syn. Thamnocalamus spathaceus that gets to about 8 feet.
Umbrella bamboo (Fargesia spathacea, syn. Thamnocalamus spathaceus), clump type, to about 14 feet.
Dwarf whitestripe bamboo (Arundaria variegata), running, to 3 feet.
Yellow-Groove bamboo (Phyllostachys aureosulcata), runner, semi-evergreen type, to 20 to 30 feet.
Botanic names are given to assist in ordering.
Bamboos may not be available at all garden centers. Contact larger nurseries or ask nurserymen to utilize specialty growers, such as Kurt Bluemel Inc., in Baldwin, Md., or others that they know of.
Homeowners who still are reluctant to try bamboo for a quick privacy screen can stick with the alternatives, which include Leyland cypress, upright yew, or eastern or Canadian hemlock.
by CNB