(Surfgeotwo) wrote in message ...
I want to entertain the idea of bamboo as a screen in my back yard. I would
like something that gets 12 to 15 feet tall rather quickly and either stays
there or is easy to maintain at that height. I am in Houston, usda zone 9a, so
i need a hot and direct sun-tolerant variety. I need this to do well in a line
about 95' long, and hopefully just about 2' wide. So is bamboo a viable
option?

Yes, Bamboo is VERY viable. You need to decide if you can get away
with a runner or if you have to use a clumper. If you are in a very
dry area, runners can be contained with water, water it where you want
it, it won't grow outside that area. It can also be controlled with a
lawn mower, but if you are planting it on the edge of a pain in the
butt neighbor, you might want to stick with clumpers.

Some good runners for your area, SEMIARUNDINARIA FASTUOSA, drought
tolerant very pleasing to look at, can get as tall as 30',
PHYLLOSTACHYS AUREA, very vigorous, can get as tall as 25'. Both of
those are taller than you indicated you would like, but keep in mind
that all bamboo can be topped at whatever height you would like, it
also encourages them to bush out.

Clumpers, are a little tougher, they generally can't handle freezes
too well. A good one for your project would be BAMBUSA MULTIPLEX
ALPHONSE KARR, probable ultimate height would be about 20'. Beautiful
yellow culms with green stripes, bright green leaves. If you would
settle for taller bamboo, BAMBUSA OLDHAMII can get as tall as 45', not
too likely in your climate, but it does grow tall, straight and bushy
with 2-4" thick culms.

A good person to contact in Texas is Kinder Chambers,
, he is in Buckholts, if he can't help you directly,
he would know who can.

If you want to look at some images and growth information for
different bamboo, look at this site, it is a treasure trove of
information:

http://www.endangeredspecies.com/tex...nfo/price.html

Most of the growth data relates to Southern California, but it is
fairly similar to your neck of the woods, a little less humid here I
imagine.

also:

how big is a 2-gallon vs. a 5-gallon plant, and does that mean there is just
one shoot or several? So - if i buy 2 gal or 5 gal, how far apart is the
optimal spacing, or in other words, how many would I need for 95'? I am sure
that has something to do with how fast i want a dense screen, so a range of
numbers is what I am looking for.

I have found that size does indeed matter. Get as large a start as
you can afford to buy. Try to find someone local where you know it
has been growing healthily, and get as big a plant as you can. If you
get runners, you can plant them further apart, they fill in faster,
the best way to ensure they run the direction you want would be to use
drip irrigation in a straight line and mulch that area so it stays
damp. The rhizomes will follow the path of least resistance, damp
soil helps it. Try for 15 gal starts if you can, you will be alot
happier. Clumpers, you'll want to put at about 5' centers, runners
about 8'.

Good luck with the BOO!

Chris
Chino,CA