Written by Colleen Callan   

ORNAMENTAL LANDSCAPE TREASURE

OR

DESTRUCTIVE INVADER?

Depending on what side of the fence you or your Bamboo falls on...you either love or hate Bamboo. There is not much middle ground on feelings about the plant and the issue has become a true hot button topic at town hall meetings across Long Island and across the nation.



That is why Farmingdale State College (SUNY) held an all day conference in October in an effort to get some of the facts on the table and to educate landscapers on how to maintain and contain Bamboo and to inform anyone else interested in learning more about Bamboo in general.

The all day conference titled "Bamboo-Every Plant Has Its Rightful Place" was attended by about 100 landscapers and others, the majority of whom were professionals in the field. Michael Veracka, Chairman and Assistant Professor; Department of Ornamental Horticulture at SUNY Farmingdale, organized the conference, which was a comprehensive overview of Bamboo and had an impressive group of nationally and regionally recognized horticulturalists, designers, growers and Bamboo proponents to speak on the topic and separate fact from fiction. Mr. Veracka sent out invitations to nearly two dozen politicians on Long Island, but to her credit, Huntington Town Councilwoman, Susan Berland, was the only politician who showed up.

Ms. Berland said she stayed the entire day because many people have been speaking out at Huntington Town Board meetings about the problems associated with a specific type of Bamboo known as "Phyllostachys" or "running Bamboo" and she wanted to learn as much as possible about the facts surrounding this controversial plant. This type of Bamboo has a root system with rhizomes which run underground and can quickly spread from one piece of property to another unless carefully contained.

"BAMBOO IS NOT THE PROBLEM...

PEOPLE ARE THE PROBLEM?"

Susanne Lucas, Executive Director of the World Bamboo Organization, spoke at the meeting on the basics of Bamboo, the properties of Bamboo, the difference between running and clumping Bamboo and their cultural requirements. According to Ms. Lucas:

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth, it can reach its full height within a year and it is stronger than steel. Bamboo has virtually no carbon footprint, it is light, strong, adaptable and has a multitude of uses including: furniture, flooring, fencing, scaffolding, surfboards, skateboards, bicycle frames, instruments, paper, clothing, fuel, fishing poles and more. New shoots are edible and are considered a delicacy in many cultures.
Ms. Lucas extolled the virtues of the plant;
Beyond product development in that Bamboo has the unique property of absorbing greenhouse gases and renewing 35% more oxygen than other trees. One acre of Bamboo sequesters 25 tons of carbon dioxide. By comparison an acre of young forest only sequesters 6 tons of carbon dioxide.
Bamboo is tough, durable, drought resistant, pollutant tolerant, suitable for erosion control, habitat friendly for birds and other wildlife and because it is an evergreen, it is green year round. The Bamboo people are having problems with is the running Bamboo, "Genus Phyllostachys" varieties, not the "clumping" kind, known as "Genus Fargesia" varieties which are usually shorter. A member of the grass family, Fargesia Bamboos do not have the same type of root system which is causing many problems for some residents.

Ms. Lucas believes the Phyllostachys Bamboo can be controlled and contained and that Bamboo is getting a bad reputation that is ill deserved. "Bamboo is not the problem..the people who plant it and do not maintain it properly are the problem." Ms. Lucas insisted.

Bamboo is native to every continent except Antarctica and was introduced to Europe during the Victorian Period. There are over 1,400 types of Bamboo.

All Bamboo in New York was planted, according to Ms. Lucas as the plant is not indigenous to the state. Originally, Bamboo was brought into the United States by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). Bamboo does not go into water, it rarely- if ever, flowers and it is not spread by seeds, birds or other wildlife. It spreads by vegetative division (splitting) or micro propagation (tissue cultures) produced in labs with merristems from the plant.

With the Phyllostachys varieties control of the root or rhizome is essential because otherwise the roots run and spread underground. From January to March the plant is dormant. April through June new shoots appear. In July, the new shoots, also known as "culms", harden and old stems make new leaves. August through September new roots expand and the rhizomes spread and stretch out.

In order to contain the roots, trenching and barriers are necessary. The trenches must be at least 36" deep at least 10" wide and should have a minimum of 60 ml polyethylene plastic sheeting placed in the trench and secured with metal aluminum strips, staggering the holes. It should be filled with sand and the rhizomes need to be watched and checked to make sure they do not breach the barriers.

Eventually, the running Bamboo will consume all of the soil and at all times, the plant needs proper drainage and maintenance, according to Ms. Lucas.


BAMBOO: THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY


Stephen Morrell, Director of the John P. Humes Japanese Stroll Garden in Mill Neck was the next speaker. The Garden is a preservation project of the Gardening Conservancy and is operated through an agreement with the Humes Japanese Garden Foundation. The strolling garden represents a natural approach to garden design by responding directly to existing topography and vegetation. Careful attention is given to the blending of garden elements with the existing native woodland in order to create a "Path To Inner Peace".

Mr. Morrell's experience with the many varieties he planted taught him some important lessons about Bamboo. He talked about the history of the plant in Japan. Phyllostachys was not native to Japan, it was imported from China over a thousand years ago and displaced entire forests of over 10,000 acres in Japan. It is now strictly regulated in Japan.


MAINTENANCE OF BAMBOO IS CRITICAL


Bamboo is the world's highest maintenance plant, according to Mr. Morrell. Thinning is necessary or the grove will become too dense. Thinning the bamboo groves is labor intensive and you will need a truck. One grove will generate at least 3-5 truckloads of thinned material which will need to be cut up. Mr. Morell warned those interested in planting bamboo to make sure they never plant it near roads, garages or driveways as the plant will bend over under the weight of heavy rain or snow and block egress or traffic.

Shoots need to be cut quickly, they can grow over 30 ft. in just a few weeks. According to Mr. Morrell, Bamboo will escape any barrier eventually. Plastic barriers can become brittle and break at the top and also trap moisture, allowing it to grow more quickly. Even concrete will eventually be cracked and when you contain it, it will eventually fill the space and the root system will need more soil.

Deer will eat Bamboo only if there are no other evergreens available, but it is not their first choice. Flowering is very complicated and it can be 75 to 100 years before a plant flowers and often the plant then dies. Bamboo will grow through asphalt three inches thick. Herbicides can control it's growth but severing rhizomes will definitely make it spread. Another issue is mites, which are spread by birds. They target the Fargesia (clumping) and Phyllostachys Bamboos and are found at the bottom of the foliage, but they are less likely to bother the Plioblastus or shorter growing varieties. Bamboo will grow under Norway maples and the maple's root system will slow the growth of the Bamboo somewhat, according to Mr. Morrell.

Bamboo will not compost or breakdown, it doesn't chip well for mulch as it tends to ruin the chipper blades and you shouldn't burn it as it will explode, due to moisture and gases in the nodules. Digging out the rhizomes completely is one of the only ways to eradicate it. The rhizome hairs will not regenerate without the buds. Digging therm out is labor intensive and expensive to rent equipment for the job.

In many countries Bamboo is a staple product with a myriad of uses, according to Mr. Morrell. In India it is floated downriver to leach out the starches. In Ecuador and Colombia it can grow 8 inches in diameter and over 100 feet tall. It is harvested with chainsaws and used for scaffolding (it's virtual pressure is as strong as steel).

MY NEIGHBOR'S BAMBOO IS ATTACKING ME

Mike Johnson from Summerhill Nursery in Madison Connecticut was the next speaker and he also described various methods to control Bamboo. Mr. Johnson agreed with Ms. Lucas that the problem is not the Bamboo, it is the people who do not properly contain it. He recommended:

1.) Dig a trench, fill with sand, find rhizomes and pull them up if you want to contain it.
2.) Keep cutting for several years to control it.
3.) In the trench (3 ft deep minimum) use 60-80 ml. polyethylene at least 2" above the ground, with aluminum strips, then mulch to contain it.
4.) Continuous rhizome maintenance will always be necessary.
In July: Use double or professional strength Round-Up on the perimeter to contain it. Culms (spikes) are sent up at nodes and the leaves feed the rhizomes (roots). Generally the height of the Bamboo stalk above the ground reflects a root system the same length underground, which is why it spreads to neighboring property so quickly if not contained properly.
5. Concrete reinforced with mesh and plywood 2.5 feet deep and 4 to 6" wide can also be used as a barrier instead of the polyethylene (Heavy gage plastic).

BAMBOO IN DESIGNED LANDSCAPES

Beautiful Bamboo Gardens in very public settings was the next topic for discussion at the SUNY Conference. Matthew Urbanski from Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. showed pictures of several famous and some not as well known locations where Bamboo was used as a focal point or an integral part of the background landscaping.

The Bamboo Garden (1985-87) by Alexander Chemetoff in La Villette Park in Paris, the Brazil Botanic Garden, The Courtyard at The New School in New York, Kendall Square in Cambridge,
The School of Computer Science at the Carnegie Mellon University and the Brooklyn Bridge Park (2003-to present) are all examples of landscape architecture Mr. Urbanski highlighted with Bamboo as done with care and consideration of the environment and containment.

Mr. Urbanski stressed that it is important not to sell a client something they do not know how to care for or cannot take care of. He advises speaking with the gardener in advance to let them know of the issues involved with proper maintenance before adding Bamboo to any landscape.

Ms. Lucas also insisted it is up to the professionals to take responsibility and noted that if a garden center sells the plants they should label them properly and educate the public about proper maintenance, in advance of the sale.

Bamboo, although it can be called invasive, it is technically not yet considered an "invasive species" as identified by New York State. There are many clumping species of Bamboo (Fargesia) that stay right where you want them, Ms. Lucas said.
For the purpose of the New York Invasive Plant Ranking System, an invasive plant species is a species that is: “1) non-native to the ecosystem under consideration, and 2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” (Federal Executive Order 13112, signed in 1999 and adopted by the New York State Invasive Species Task Force in 2005). Further, for purposes of this Invasive Plant Ranking System, invasive plants are non-native species that have spread into native or minimally managed plant systems in New York. These plants cause economic or environmental harm by developing self-sustaining populations and becoming dominant and/or disruptive to those systems.
A better word for Bamboo, according to Ms. Lucas is "aggressive". It is not spread by birds, wind or bees and is always planted by a human being. Interestingly, "Lucky Bamboo" that many people buy and have in their homes is not really Bamboo at all, is not native to Asia and is a member of the "Dracaena Family".

At the end of the Conference, their was an open panel discussion and a question and answer period.
Councilwoman Berland spoke of the realities and problems caused by Bamboo in Huntington. Pitting neighbor against neighbor and causing hundreds of thousands of dollars to her constituents, the Bamboo needs to be banned she told those present at the conference to loud protests. The crowd was after all mostly made up of landscapers and Bamboo lovers and enthusiasts. Ms. Berland stood her ground, insisting the average person doesn't have the proper knowledge of the need for the costly and difficult, but very necessary maintenance of Bamboo in order to prevent it from spreading onto their neighbor's property where it can cause tremendous financial damage.

Some residents have called her with complaints that Bamboo has come up through their built in pool, deck or Jacuzzi. Others fear the Bamboo can dislodge gas pipes or other things buried in their yard like water pipes and cess pools. The issues for residents are real problems and must be addressed Ms. Berland insisted and she said she intended to move forward with her law to ban future planting of Bamboo in Huntington, despite protests from the crowd. Councilwoman Berland was resolute and followed through true to her word at the Conference as she proffered a bill to ban any future planting of Phyllostachys (Running) Bamboo in Huntington due to the potential for severe financial damage caused by the plant when it is not managed properly.



LAWSUITS AND LAWS BANNING BAMBOO

There are eight municipalities on Long Island that have already banned or restricted Bamboo including: Smithtown, Islip, Fire Island (Saltaire and Ocean Beach), Long Beach, Hempstead, Greenport, Lake Grove and Brookhaven. Huntington held a public hearing on the matter on November 7th. Many people spoke of the problems and some spoke of their love of the plant.

The bill in Huntington New York is scheduled to be voted on this evening at the December Huntington Town Hall meeting.


THE PROPOSED LAW TO BAN BAMBOO IN HUNTINGTON

(Chapter 156 A (Bamboo) of Law No. 19)
The purpose of the law proposed by Councilwoman Berland and seconded by Councilman Mark Mayoka is "to preserve and protect private property from the damaging spread of certain running Bamboo grasses, protect indigenous plant materials from the invasive spread of running Bamboo and maintain the general welfare of the residents of the Town of Huntington."

The law applies to the Phyllostachys (Running) Bamboo, the kind that spreads, invades or encroaches on any other property other than where it was planted originally.

The law prohibits any new plantings of "Running Bamboo" in Huntington and provides penalties for offenders. Bamboo shall not be planted, maintained or otherwise permitted to exist within 10 feet of the edge of a pavement or travelled portion of any public road and property owners where Bamboo is already growing are responsible to prevent the Bamboo from invading or growing onto adjacent or adjoining properties.

**** (This may not be far enough as it grows to an average of thirty or forty feet and when it bends in heavy rain, snow or ice, it can totally block a driveway, backyard or roadway, according to some residents who otherwise support Councilwoman Berland's new law to ban Bamboo.)

If found to be encroaching on Town property the Bamboo owner is responsible for the removal of the Bamboo within 30 days, unless the owner can show reasonable remedial measures have started and delays are not under the control of the person to whom a notice was issued. The Bamboo owner shall be liable for any and all costs associated with removing the Bamboo from the Town of Huntington property and will be assessed against the property of the owner.

Penalties for failure to comply range from $250.00 to $500.00 dollars and each month's continued violation shall constitute a separate violation for the first offense, not less than $500.00 to $1,000 dollars for the second offense and not less than $1,000 to $2,500 dollars for a third or subsequent offense and each month's continued offense shall be constitute a separate and additional violation.

A "Bamboo Owner", according to the new law would be any property owner or resident who plants/has planted or grows Bamboo or who maintains Bamboo on their property or permits Bamboo to grow or remain on the property even if it has spread from an adjoining property, except any property owner or resident who:

1. Did not plant or grow or cause Bamboo to be planted or grown on his property and
2. Has provided satisfactory proof to the Town of Huntington that within a reasonable period of time after discovering the encroachment of Bamboo onto the property from an adjoining or neighboring property, advised the owner of such property of an objection to the encroachment of the Bamboo and
3. Has initiated steps for the removal of the Bamboo from the property, including remedies at law.



PEOPLE AFRAID TO SPEAK ON THE RECORD:
FEAR OF PROPERTY VALUE DECLINE

Freelance Investigations spoke with several Huntington homeowners all complaining of the damage done to their property by Bamboo planted by a neighbor. Most refused to go on the record for fear they will not be able to sell their property if it is known they have Bamboo invading their property line. Lawsuits are now becoming quite common and some residents claim people leaving a property after a sale, often plant Bamboo on purpose, knowing it will become a problem for their neighbors and potentially hurt their property values or ability to sell. Some claim cutting the Bamboo leaves little hollow stalks, a perfect breeding ground for West Nile mosquitos after the first rain. Others say it makes their backyards unusable in the winter as their neighbors' Bamboo which towers over thirty feet high becomes bent over onto their property in heavy rain, ice and snow.

Only one resident was anxious to speak on the record. Stuart Mass, of Eaton's Neck, Huntington has spoken out at Town Board meetings about the thousands of dollars of damage to his property done by the Bamboo planted by his next door neighbor for "privacy". Mr. Mass has a horse stable and the Bamboo is spiking up past his fence inside the paddock. "It is eating up my property!" according to Mr. Mass.

Bamboo from his neighbor has killed all his azalea shrubs and and trees and bends over into his driveway when wet, blocking egress. The Bamboo runs 150 ft along the perimeter of his property. Mr. Mass said he has tried to speak reasonably with his neighbor about the damage, but to no avail according to him and now when the neighbor sees him, he runs the other way. So Mr. Mass said he plans to file a lawsuit this week for $80,000 dollars in property damage caused by his next door neighbor's Bamboo. It has ruined his asphalt driveway, killed all the azaleas, small trees and shrubs that formerly surrounded his property, destroyed his underground sprinkler system, his Belgian block and spikes are intruding into the paddock for his horses, according to Mr. Mass.

Culms that spike up on Mr. Mass's property... are hard as steel and they could impale a child or animal, according to him. Bamboo has destroyed his entire asphalt driveway which now needs to be completely repaved, according to Mr. Mass


BAMBOO INVADES CONNECTICUT

Bamboo is a problem in Connecticut as well as many other states. Caryn Rickel is an invasive Bamboo research specialist who wants to see Bamboo not only on the "Do Not Plant List" but also on the "Do Not Sell List". Profits behind the Phyllostachys or running Bamboo are the reason many do not want the bans. The clumping Bamboo does not propagate as quickly and is not as profitable, according to her. Ms. Rickel notes Phyllostachys is already not allowed to be planted in Japan, not allowed to be shipped to Hawaii and "Even the Hiroshima Bomb did not kill Phyllostachys Bamboo. In fact, it was the only living thing left and it flourished a few days later." according to her. Organic removal with or without toxic chemicals is very costly and difficult work. Some people are using fuel oil or gasoline to kill it...causing further environmental harm.


Ms. Rickel operates a database in Connecticut and had documented over 150 cases of invasive Bamboo as of April 2012. In February, she testified before the Connecticut Legislative Committee, opposing the proposed labeling by the Connecticut Green Industries Council. She told the panel even the plant tags meant to warn the public contain incorrect information.

FROM THE TESTIMONY of Caryn Rickel

In viewing the images provided of the* two tags , by Bob Heffernan
of the Connecticut Green Industries Council it is highly disturbing to see he has
**grossly incorrect information** that will be relied upon by the unsuspecting public.
1.) He states : Some form of containment may likely be necessary.
Correct Statement should read :
Phyllostachys is running bamboo (rhizomatous) and MUST BE CONTAINED.
2.) He states: Mowing the new shoots is effective in controlling spread.
Correct Statement should read:
Mowing does not stop a rhizome from invading adjoining property.
It allows it to invade underground undetected and further the following year
to unwanted area’s, possibly structures or a neighbor’s adjoining land.
Us.fed.data report shows Phyllostachys spp.will travel 9.3 miles and
scientifically is one organism. ( report available )
3.) He states herbicides like round-up may also be effective.
Correct Statement should read:
Herbicides do not translocate well to the rhizomes and Phyllostachys
resists chemicals. Even professional’s have a very difficult time
trying to eradicate Phyllostachys. The rhizomes are chambered off and
even injections are difficult. ( New Peer reviewed report available-
on power point ) Backhoe to remove and several years follow-up on
missed rhizome fragments. He makes no mention that rhizomes are
hazardous waste. Rhizomes must be taken to a burn center.
Any small fragment of rhizome will colonize an infestation.
4.) He states on the tag that you can use metal, cement, or fiberglass to
construct a barrier to avoid spread.
Correct Statement should read:
Must be 40 ml, 60 ml , or 80 ml polyethylene bamboo barrier.(HDPE)
Metal will *corrode and rust and is not a suitable bamboo barrier..
Cement will *crack and is also not a suitable bamboo barrier.
*************************************************************
He also fails to mention these CRITICAL POINTS in what constitutes an
effective barrier:
a) A barrier must be installed to* fully encircle around the planting* to be effective with *no seams. A barrier installed just on a property line will not contain or constitute an effective barrier.
b) It is a common misconception that a barrier stops a running bamboo from invading, when just the opposite is true. A barrier deflects the rhizomes up
so that they can be rhizome pruned each late summer. One missed rhizome
is all it takes to invade an adjoining property.
Note: When a property is sold these instructions must be part
of that property sale, or the new owner will invade the neighborhood.
When a barrier is not maintained it fails faster. Mature groves will break
through barriers, and they will need to be redone.
The truth is that Phyllostachys is a highly unsuitable plant for urban plantings and a highly unsuitable plant for a property line planting
as it will spread and damage adjoining property.
Lastly it is impractical for him to suggest each person being invaded
file a civil suit and sue their neighbor.
The problem is that the :
Statute of Limitations would impose an unfair burden to the plaintiff in that
Phyllostachys - creeps slowly in the first 3-5 years and then it begins to
invade more aggressively each successive year...When one realizes it is a
problem it is almost too late. A better solution is to have the H.B.5122
as law to establish such an affirmative duty that will deter potential
defendants from engaging in this type of activity

Feb 21, 2012




Whether you love the inexpensive privacy planting Bamboo affords you, or you decry the invasive damage to everything it touches, Bamboo strikes a chord of passion in just about everyone.
Some call it the "roach of plants" as it is difficult if not impossible to kill it, according to them. Others extol it's virtues and enjoy it's versatility and beauty. If it is not maintained properly, it can cause a myriad of problems and therefore more regulations and more bans are expected in the future. Some have suggested that only licensed landscapers should be allowed to buy and plant it and then they would be responsible for maintaining it for as long as it is alive. Others says nothing less than a complete ban of the sale and planting in the entire United States will protect our native land and plants. One thing is clear, the topic of Bamboo needs both education and regulation as the plant itself is hardy and strong and will not go away on its own anytime soon.