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Can palms contain a large clumping bamboo?


Sandy Loam

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Does anyone know if I can stop my giant, clumping bamboo from spreading outward if I surround it with palms?  I have heard that a clumping bamboo will stop spreading outwards if it hits a strong barrier, but I don't know if palm roots are strong enough or deep enough to do the job. I don't want to build a large,  concrete wall underground.    


Also,  if the large, clumping bamboo (bambusa ventricosa) is successfully stopped from growing in several places by palms, will the empty spaces in between allow further canes to grow outward?  I was under the impression that a bambusa rhizome is a rosette, so it will not continue to creep outward in different directions if most of the rhizome has been blocked by obstacles.  However, I frankly don't know anything about this and am seeking your guidance.

I look forward to any opinions available. Thank you!

 

 

 

 

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6 hours ago, Sandy Loam said:

Does anyone know if I can stop my giant, clumping bamboo from spreading outward if I surround it with palms?

Will Godzilla defeat his enemies?  Darn good question.  My limited experience with bamboo would say that you need an equally formidable root system to "contain it", which might actually defeat the goal.  The palm which I experienced as the most aggressive in defeating the root system of other palms has been Syagras romanzoffiana.  While Washingtonia robusta is the most likely volunteer in my neighborhood, S romanzoffiana is the thing most likely to crowd out other palms with it's vigorous root system.   I felt it was necessary to remove some to allow other palms to grow, so I would ask if that is really a solution to your clumping bamboo challenge?  Do you really want to trade one aggressive root system for another?  Perhaps a root barrier, to at least slow the invasion would be a better selection.  I used a plastic root barrier which goes down about 30" to slow my neighbor's Brazilian Pepper tree's roots from demo'ing my paver driveway, and would recommend that before trying to determine if you have selected the correct palm nemesis for your bamboo.  Good luck with whatever barrier you select!

33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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I'm with tracy and vote root barrier. Rent a trencher and trench all the way around and install the barrier. 

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Thanks.  There are root barriers available, sold as Rhizome barriers" and manufactured in heavy plastic for strength and to resist underground deterioration (for a while, at least).  They are available in various heights/depths.  However, those rhizome barriers are intended for running bamboo, not clumping bamboo.  Running bamboo is different because it will take the path of least resistance -- when it bumps into a wall of some time, it will simply divert itself in a different direction to follow the containment (or, sometimes, will grow beneath the containment to escape it).  Clumping bamboo is different, as least as far as the giant cane varieties are concerned.  A large-caned clumping bamboo will easily burst through a traditional, plastic rhizome barrier.  In fact, I once saw a photo of a huge, concrete culvert pipe segment which had been used as a planter for a large clumping bamboo.  With outward growth, the rhizome actually burst the concrete culvert pipe right open!  That's how powerful these giant clumping bamboo rhizomes are.  If the concrete containment structure had been filled with re-bar, the giant bambusa would likely not have been able to break through it. However, I don't want to go to the bother of building a concrete re-bar structure underground if I don't have to. 

I don't think a large-cane clumping bamboo will, for example, succeed in getting past a giant oak tree.  I am just wondering if the much smaller root system of, say, 3-4 year old palms would have the same effect as a large oak tree in stopping the bamboo from creeping outward.       

Everyone's thoughts are welcome.   Please post them!  Thank you.

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I think you end up with palms surrounded by bamboo, rather than bamboo surrounded by palms.

Ben Rogers

On the border of Concord & Clayton in the East Bay hills - Elev 387 ft 37.95 °N, 121.94 °W

My back yard weather station: http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=37.954%2C-121.945&sp=KCACONCO37

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18 hours ago, Ben in Norcal said:

I think you end up with palms surrounded by bamboo, rather than bamboo surrounded by palms.

In other words, your palms will be bamboozled.

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