When I visited Belfast ME, I asked what a hedge plant was and was told bamboo.

It was early Sep and it was flowering with white vertical tassels. I knew for usr it was not bamboo.

It was knotweed, vicious, difficult-to-eradicate invader.

When I saw it, it looked like this:

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/aqua015.html

People grow it as hedge, mis-name it bamboo, and then it gets out of control.

Thanks unautre. Im glad I asked. So thats knottweed? Thats weird. I remember that stuff as a little boy. Always thought it was native. That junk is everywhere. What a shame. I did plant silver lace vine this year"polygonum aubertii" I was told they are kind of related. Hope I dont regret it. I would rather have real bamboo anyway. But the stuff you can grow here in zone 5 is exspensive. Real bamboo is so beautiful. Thanyou so much....Filix