Jeff Dantzler wrote in message news:1059632768.575674@yasure...
Greetings. I am new to the group and am currently looking at planting some
bamboo early next Spring in Seattle, WA.

I would like something that is hardy enough to deal with our occasional
dips into the 20's. It must make a good screen between properties, but not
be too invasive. I am willing to dig and install barriers as well as
provide "training" with a spade. Currently my neighbor doesn't mind if I
wander over to his side to deal with out-of-control plants.

None of the tropicals will thrive in your area. Most will look like
heck in the winter time, no leaves and a few dead culms, in the spring
it will recover, but not well if you do not have good sun.

The temperates (runners) will do well, but will be invasive. You
cannot train bamboo with a spade, you just make it mad :-) If it is
in a grassy area and your neighbor doesn't mind you can easily control
runners with a lawn mower. Just mow while the shoots are just popping
through the surface, they are soft and the stumps will rot and go
away, if you wait until the reach any decent size they will start to
harden and the stumps will stay much longer.

Good screening bamboos are in the Phyllostachys family, P. Aurea is
probably the best in your area, but it is a very vigorous runner, but
it meets your other size requirements.

www.endangeredspecies.com is good for information, they do not
currently do mail order and they are in the So. California area.

Washington Nurseries:

http://www.bambu-u.com/

There are others, but this is the only one that is "webbed up".

This site is marginal at best, but it contains some information that
you may be able to use. Just look up WA or Wa, or other variants of
Washington.

http://www.bamboopeople.com/site_select_location.cfm

Hope it helps!

Chris