In the UK, many people’s gardens are overlooked and lack privacy so it’s only natural that homeowners and gardeners have found natural solutions like bamboo to rectify the problem.
Bamboo grows quickly because it’s not native to the UK which means it grows at a different rate.
There are two different types of bamboo known as “running” and “clumping” with “running” varieties being the most invasive.
Running bamboo varieties send out several metres of rhizomes, similar to Japanese knotweed. When the plant’s rhizomes emerge from the ground, they produce new canes in new locations.
While the plant is attractive, some experts have warned that the plant can cause structural damage due to its rhizomes.
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Managing director of Root Barrier Store, Jon Barton, told The Sun that the plant could leave homeowners liable for removal, repair and legal costs if it spreads into neighbouring properties and they fail to act.
Mr Barton said the plant is “strong” and is able to survive where other plants can’t which means it can encroach onto neighbouring properties easily and cause disputes.
Bamboo becomes a “costly” problem when it spreads under a neighbour’s paving or tarmac and then pushes up towards the sun.
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The expert said he has come across situations where the plant has even created ripples in tarmac surfacing.
He also said he’s seen runners that extend to five metres and there have been records of some that have reached 10 metres before being removed.
He added: “It is common to see bamboo that was planted inside a border later sending out runners.
“These can easily straddle one garden and then end up in the next.”
Gardening expert at Composite Warehouse, Lee Smith, told Express.co.uk that running bamboo is the “more aggressive type of bamboo” and if left to grow can create “huge damage”.
He added: “The roots can encroach on other plants and can even cause structural damage such as cracked walls, uplifted decking and destabilised fencing. This can all cost a huge amount to fix.”
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