Hello.
Bamboo is a good looking indestructible plant, fantastic for screening or even a stand alone specimen plant in just about any conditions. If planted in a controlled area and inspected every few months for rhizomes escaping, you will not have any problems with it. Bamboo has a fine surface root system that will not seek out drain pipes and block them.

some varieties of bamboo have a high failure rate when divided. That
can increase the cost substantially for certain bamboo.

Yeah, except that's not actually bamboo at all is it.....

A lot of people talk about "bamboo" as if it is one plant, and indeed often refer to "it" as a shrub or tree.....

There are actually nearly 1500 species of Bamboo, and they are grasses....

Whilst some are vigorous and reproduce readily at the rhizome others are slow to increase, or produce such a tight clumping arrangement of culms as to be virtually impossible to divide at all.

Also bear in mind that even the most vigorous varieties are still far slower to reproduce commercially than most seed or cutting raised plants, and take up considerably more space in a nursery.

Why the bamboo is experience? That's a good question, in fact for the growth of bamboo thst's not worth for the high price. I believe there's something wrong with the price!

I would certainly agree that the issue has to do with species. Splitting may be inexpensive but it's also more difficult to succeed in doing. Especially if you haven't done it before, which it sounds like this person hasn't. Shop around a little more and look for the heartiest species.

When you split a bamboo it takes energy to recover. When choosing a bamboo go for roots over stems every time. Large culms look attractive, though if you can't be sure they were made after the bamboo was potted on then go for the 'Weakling' that has roots splitting the pot apart. Bamboos can't get potbound by definition unlike shrubs etc. Always choose roots over shoots every time as that is where the potentials is at.

Some species like Chusquea and can be very difficult and labour intensive to split, even seemingly 'easy' running species like Chimonobambusa are a struggle due to the sparse root systems on the runners. Failure rates can be high which adds to costs...

Wow! That is amazing, I could read your post without problems. Who
woulda thunk it.

I did not know it was expensive, everything I've ever seen was free. Years ago I saw an ad for free bamboo where someone wanted to get rid of him. I took some and planted in my yard a few years later they put in sidewalks, he moved to my backyard. When I got my new place some two transplanted Patches diffferent.

This is expensive, because more difficult to dig bamboo Division
Ratio divided by daylillies. What you pay is a general labor.

Maybe you just have not found the right seller yet. Another thing is that you are technically buying from an online store. You'd be paying more for shipping and placement for that. I suggest you visit a local store and find it to be fairly cheap.

Hey,

If you think the prices for bamboos are so high, just get 1 cut piece of bamboo from ur friend's plant & re-pot it in your garden.....

No need to pay...

Just maintain it & water it properly & you will see amazing results.

Thanks y'all guys for so much information about bamboo! That's all very interesting and you've nearly inspired me to try to grow it myself in the backyard If seriously, I think it's so expensive, because it takes a lot of time and energy to collect bamboo and work with it.

It is expensive because it is grown for years and maintained. We can make allot of use out it that is the why it is expensive.

the reason is that it is a renewable resource. it doesn't take but a few years for bamboo to be ready for harvest, and then starts over for the next harvest. expense depends on what you are comparing it to.
Source(s):
personal knowledge, been there, done that