"Robert Sefton" wrote in message
...
"Pam - gardengal" wrote in message
news:uQB3d.75913$MQ5.26297@attbi_s52...
Negative comments about bamboo usually originate from those who have
never
grown the plant and have no idea how to properly select or contain it.
They
are less than helpful.

I would avoid mixing clumping and running bamboos - the runners are very
aggressive and will easily overwhelm the far less agressive clumpers. If
you
wish to mix, pick two or more similar clumpers or runners, but most
bamboos
'take' very well in proper conditions so mixing two different forms is
not
really necessary.

All the bamboos you list are big, rapid growing plants, the clumpers
somewhat slower to develop than the runners by nature of their growth
habit.
If rapid screening or hedging is your intent, go with the Phyllostachys.
Either clumpers or runners will successfully fill a long, narrow space -
if
width is an issue, the roots and culms will spread laterally, the
runners
faster than the clumpers. Upright or erect growth will be dependent
mostly
on growing conditions - adequate sun and water. Even with planting in a
stucco retaining wall, I'd use a proper bamboo containment system
inserted
before filling with soil and planting if you select running types. Those
roots and culms are incredibly strong and it is best to be properly
prepared
BEFORE any potential problems may occur.


Hi Pam -

Great information - thanks. And I agree totally with your first statement.

As for mixing runners and clumpers, one of my motivations is to save a
little
cash on the rhyzome barrier. For 30" wide by .060" think barrier I've seen
prices from $2.75 - $4.5 per foot. To enclose my 50'x3' area would take
around 110 feet, or $300 - $500 just for the material. I figured I could
instead
enclose 2-3 smaller areas for runners and plant clumpers in between. For
example, if I had two 15'x3' areas for runners I would need about 80' of
barrier
vs. 110'. Well, now that I actually analyze it I would only save $100 or
so.
Probably not worth the hassle.

Do you have a preference between P. vivax and bambusoides? I know vivax
grows faster, but from what I've read it has much thinner walls and can
get
damaged by high winds. Also, what would you recommend for some color
variation in the culms? I'm considering P. viridis 'Robert Young' and
P. bamusoides f. castillonis.

Rob

Make the investment in the rhizome barrier - it's well worth it. Given the
choices, I'd go with the bambusoides - strong plants and quite rapidly
growing, all things considered. Not as familiar with vivax as it gets too
big too fast for most gardens and is not really much in demand in my area.
I've not grown it, but resources indicate that viridis 'Robert Young' tends
to be very bare the bottom 50% of the culms - maybe not the best look for
your purposes, specially if it achieves the height it's reported to achieve.
For some color variation, consider bambusoides 'Castillonis Inversa', which
has reverse coloring from 'Castillionis' - green culms with yellow striping.
Or 'Violescens' which has green culms with purple spotting. Or if you wanted
to introduce something smaller and you can find it, try P. nigra 'Boryana',
also called 'tortoiseshell' bamboo as it produces culms which are randomly
splotched with green, brown and purple and resembles a tortoiseshell - a
smashing bamboo and one of my favorites.

pam