On Mon, 28 Oct 2002 19:32:25 +0000, cormaic
wrote:

'Twas Mon, 28 Oct 2002 18:29:37 GMT, when
(Rodger Whitlock) enriched
all our lives with these worthy thoughts:

There is a specific objection to Pseudosasa japonica, the metake
or "arrow" bamboo: it is a rampant spreader once established. The
new culms that can penetrate paving.

IMHO, metake bamboo is not suitable for boundary plantings: I
would not want to inflict it on my neighbors.


So; what would you suggest in its place?

If the P.japonica appeals to my colleague, it's easy enough
for it to be 'contained' within a root barrier membrane, as he's just
bought 2,500m2 of the stuff for use on another project. :~)

I wouldn't recommend any other bamboo for such a use. In my
experience, they tend to like positions somewhat sheltered from
the wind. But perhaps Arundinaria murielae might do -- if he can
find any. It all flowered and died some years ago and the next-
generation seedlings probably aren't anywhere near maturity yet.
Arundinaria nitida is probably a little too short, but might do
in a pinch. I'm not sure how these would do in a fully exposed
location.

And I await with interest a message from you reading "my friend's
metake bamboo penetrated the root barrier with elan and is now
coming up in the middle of his neighbor's concrete driveway..."

Frankly, I don't know *what* to suggest for the purpose. Perhaps
the best bet is for your friend to wander around the neighborhood
on foot and see if anyone has a planting somewhat like the one he
desires, then find out what they used for it.

And the 2-3 meter height is actually fence height, but it has to
be a robust fence to withstand marine gales.



--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada