See here:

http://bambooweb.info/BrowseSSL.php?Units=I&Sort=Gs&Genus=PHYLLOSTACHYS&DiaCompare=%3D&DiaValue=+&HtCompare=%3D&HtValue=+&TempCompare=%3D&TempValue=+&SunCompare=%3D&SunValue=+&Clumper=NULL&Match=AND&Button=GO

... 30 ft tall, 2 inches diam.

It could probably take 3+ years to get that big, and probably no significant rhizome spreading until 3 years. Until then, maybe 8 - 10 ft tall and looking more like bush than bamboo. My Ph vivax gets much bigger but after two springtimes, it's just a bush about 7 ft tall. Same story with my Ph. aurea.

So, no panic.

Some people think underground bambmoo barriers fail (punctured) into uselessness, and so depend on twice-yearly pruning the rhizomes at the desired perimeter.

Thanks. I've been reading the forums to get as much info as I can (lots of experts here, thankfully). I like the look of my (so far little) plant, so I'm going to keep it.:)

jenruss-
There are very few bamboo that only grow to 6', so it sounds like the nursery you got it from doesn't know much about bamboo (or lied to sell you something). In any case, don't panic. I've got over 60 varieties of running bamboo in my yard with no barriers. I have to maintain them, which means that once a year I go outside with a sharp shovel and a pickaxe, and cut back rhizomes if they are moving into areas where I don't want them. But this is a trivial amount of work, and most of my bamboo don't need it. Besides, you may never have any problems. I had a grove of alata for over 30 years at another house, and it was sparsely spread over a 4' X 10 area.

Don't pay attention to all those urban horror stories. If you pay attention to what your bamboo is doing and do necessary maintenance, you'll never need to worry about barrier or invasiveness.

Unfortunately, 6 feet might be about right for zone 5. Here in 4B I've never used a barrier and never needed one.

I've seen (since starting my research yesterday- sigh) that it shouldn't get so big in my zone. However, I've seen that it can get up to 12 feet here, which I don't mind. Is it also true that the rhizomes don't get so active because of the colder climate? That would certainly put me at ease.

kudzu9,

When you say sparsely do you mean that it didn't thicken? I would like it to be a wind screen as well as for privacy (this borders parking lot), do you think this would work?

Another thing, someone told me that it invades sewer pipes. Is that true?

jenruss-
I meant that in the location I had it (semi-shade, Zone 8), it grew nicely, but didn't form a dense grove. I moved to a new place last year (same general area, but full sun), and transplanted a couple of these: they have gotten very bushy and dense here and have sent out runners, some of which I let go because I wanted it to expand, and some that went where I didn't want them to go and they got dug up and put in pots. I was just trying to illustrate that those stories about bamboo invariably going on the rampage were not true. In your area, with the cold, I think your main problem will be getting it to grow and survive.

As for the person who told you bamboo invades sewer pipes, ask him/her if that's firsthand knowledge, or a secondhand story. I've never heard of this happening. Bamboo don't have tap roots, like trees, and their root systems spread laterally. I've never dug out a bamboo that had roots deeper than 10"-12", and usually they're shallower than this, even on some bamboo that were 35' high with 2" diameter culms. They could possibly send roots into a septic line if it had holes in it and the line was close to the surface, but sewers...nope. Now if there were trees around a sewer line, I'd worry. I have seen bamboo come up through 2" thick asphalt, but I've never seen it dive down and do something evil. And to anticipate your next question: No, it doesn't crack concrete foundations.

Bamboo can get out of hand after several years of neglect, but the scare stories are mainly bunk passed on by people who have never grown it, but like to perpetuate urban myths. If all those stories were true, there'd be no room left for people in the countries where it really grows well, like China, Japan, and SE Asia!

hi, i'm new, can anyone recomend a site for Descrption of bamboo & how to grow them1
Thank-you
Paula
michigan sunshine