Don't get bamboozled!

Getting rid of invasive bamboo is a big job, says Peter

- Peter Seabrook

WHILE warnings have been noted about the invasive nature of certain bamboos, it was something I had not personally experienced until recently. I do have a pot-grown plant of Fargesia murielae ‘Simba’ (RHS AGM) amongst the large collection of shrubs grown specifically as show specimens, and this has been very well behaved.

“Its suckers ran out to the other side of the back garden”

‘Simba’ grows no more than 18in (30cm) high, and when roots are fully congested in the pot it can be either split into two or potted on into a larger sized pot. Last month, however, I was faced with a back garden renovation that had 36ft (11m) run of bamboo, planted as a screen many years ago.

It certainly formed a screen, swaying in the wind at least 12ft (3½m) high, with suckers running out almost to the other side of the 20ft (6m) wide, terraced house back garden.