The Destructive Effect of Bamboo on Buildings

Meet the Bamboos

• Many different types of bamboo exist, originating from around the world, including the United States. However, most of the aggressive problem bamboos are non-native. These bamboos include species from the Bambusa genus, the Phyllostachys genus and the Pseudosasa genus, among others. Although their U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones depend on species, they are generally tolerant of warm and temperate regions. Giant timber bamboo (Bambusa oldhamii), for instance, is hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11.

Density and Destruction

• Because more than 1,200 types of bamboo are sold in American nurseries, it can be hard to distinguish between them. The two basic types are clumping and running. Clumping is less problematic because it extends slowly from the midpoint of its planting zone. Running bamboo is more dangerous because it quickly spreads underground rhizomes to distances of 100 feet. Because bamboo is both dense and hardy, both types can have detrimental effects on already weak foundations.

Building Intrusion

• Bamboo growing close to the side of a building may come up through the siding. Sometimes it can even grow all the way up the walls and sprout leaves through the top of the roof. If the house does not have a proper barrier between the soil and the foundation, it can even come up inside the house’s footprint, and eventually into the house through heating ducts.

Managing Bamboo

• The best way to prevent bamboo destruction is to contain it to its planting area using solid barrier materials. These barriers include concrete, fiberglass, polyethylene or metal, installed to a depth of 30 inches below and 2 inches above the soil to prevent the bamboo from spreading, especially running types. If you have bamboo planted by a previous homeowner, you can consistently mow it down until its roots are depleted. Mow each time it reaches 2 feet in height and eventually it will die.