Golden bamboo invasion at spring hill florida

This is our yard before Invasive Running Golden Bamboo or (Phyllostachys aurea) was planted without a barrier by our neighbor.— at 1262 Bishop Road, Spring Hill, Florida in Hernando County.

Our neighbors planted the Golden Bamboo without a bamboo barrier and it immediately started to grow in our yard. When I inquired about it I was told it was "my problem." There is an old law in Florida that states a property owner has the right to trim roots and branches of natural vegetation up to the property line. This is NOT natural vegetation native to Florida, however, we had no other recourse but to start digging.— at 1262 Bishop Road Spring Hill, FL in Hernando County.

Here is our yard 2 years after the bamboo was planted.

The U.S.D.A. classifies Running Bamboo (Phyllostachys) as an invasive, exotic, noxious, weed. According to them one plant can spread 9.3 miles. Our neighbor planted 5 of them on the property line of a .33 acre lot in a residential neighborhood. Once running bamboo is established it is impossible to eradicate without the use of heavy equipment. There is No herbicide that will kill it. This is NOT an appropriate landscape plant for a residential neighborhood!

Here are rhizomes growing every which way under our pipes. Eventually these steel-like rhizomes will criss-cross everywhere making it almost impossible to sink a spade into the soil. At that point a backhoe will be needed to remove the bamboo. If one piece of bamboo is left in the ground it will re-grow and re-infest the property, and as long as your neighbor is cultivating it you will never rid your property of it. Some people think you can control it by mowing. This will not work for long!— at 1262 Bishop Road, Spring Hill, Florida in Hernando County.

2011. This year the digging was so much worse. The invaded area was bigger and we were spending every day digging rhizomes. Running bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world! We knew we could not keep up with this digging but we had to do something to keep the bamboo off our property…

We paid 3,000 dollars to have this steel reinforced concrete barrier installed. It is 41 inches deep, 12 inches thick, and 75 feet long. It will keep the bamboo rhizomes at bay for a couple of years--if we are lucky! Running bamboo rhizomes will destroy your landscaping, lawn, irrigation system, septic, pool, patio, driveway, and foundation.

This photo shows the depth of the barrier and the forms for the concrete. It is a known fact that running bamboo (Phyllostachys) has invaded our natural areas. I have some photos showing shoots coming through the pavement on a public roadway.

Digging the last of the rhizomes and repairing the sprinkler system. As long as our neighbors cultivate the bamboo on their property we will never be able to rid our property of this very destructive plant. We have informed them of the damage this plant can do, but the bamboo remains 6 years later.— at 1262 Bishop Road, Spring Hill, FL.

We removed the excess soil here and hubby injured his knee in the process. He needed surgery last year but the knee still hasn’t healed. He is now going for physical therapy.

This photo shows the damage done to the sprinkler system, the excess soil that needed to be moved, and the now extinct landscaping and lawn. But what about our property value………..

From a real estate professional's point of view running bamboo is an issue that affects market value because it negatively influences the buyer's willingness to purchase a property. Even the perception of an issue affects willingness to purchase. This will also affect the market value opinion when refinancing your property. The property owner with running bamboo may be held responsible for the damage to another's market value, especially if they have done nothing to mitigate the spread of running bamboo and especially after being informed of the issues around running bamboo and doing nothing to contain it. I've been following this story for awhile from a real estate appraiser's point of view. If you want to refinance your property and I see running bamboo on your property or in close proximity, it's being reported to the lender in the appraisal. It doesn't matter if it's officially an invasive species or not. It affects value now. I urge the town to act swiftly to prevent future plantings, regardless of promises to contain it, and to give notice to property owners who have it growing now that they may be responsible for it's control and the cost of removing and disposing of it properly should it spread to another's property.

From a real estate appraiser's point of view there is definitely a lost value to your property and any surrounding these properties even if they don't have the bamboo on their land.

If you are a new home buyer you need to be aware of this. If you're a real estate professional, even though this species in not yet labeled invasive, it is a nuisance and you had better bring it to your client's attention. Don't ignore it because it will soon be an invasive species. If you're a home inspector, you'd better be aware of it and protect your client, the home purchaser. If you simply don't care about this topic don't read it but please don't interfere with those who appreciate being informed.

Running bamboo was brought to my attention over a year ago. I am a certified independent real estate appraiser. It is my job to be aware of external issues that can affect a property’s value. From what I’ve observed property bordering a lot with running bamboo or that has it, or any unusual condition that impedes the typical and customary use of a property, affects its functionality or utility and therefore marketability. That means the property’s value.

I urge home inspectors to educate themselves to what is running bamboo. From what I’ve read and understood, the safety precautions supplied by the sellers of running bamboo are not 100% affective. Once the rhizomes spread beyond their containment method, and they likely will, the only resolution is to excavate all the land within the reach of the rhizomes and burn, not bury, the excavated running bamboo. Every piece of running bamboo root system has to be removed or it will likely return.This is or should be an issue for the home owner or future home owner and one thing more to be cautious about. It is important that the mortgage lender be informed by the appraiser. It is important for the home inspector to warn their client the purchaser and it is more important for the real estate agent to know how running bamboo as will affect the property value and to explain, to the potential seller, when taking a listing. In my opinion it needs to be disclosed, regardless of its status as an invasive species. It is a condition that only gets worse and limits utility and therefore value.

I have seen running bamboo in many settings. There doesn’t seem to be any stopping it without having a continual vigilance. It spreads and overtakes other foliage and destroys asphalt driveways, septic systems and drainage systems and the sharply pointed rising shoots from the spreading rhizomes can be dangerous if unwittingly stepped on.

Become aware,John Cummingsposted by: John Cummings on October 10, 2011 10:10am

Here the bamboo has grown under the siding of this home in northern Virginia.

More damage caused by the planting of running bamboo as a landscaping plant by a neighbor.

Running Bamboo (Phyllostachys) coming through the pavement on a public roadway.

A close-up of running bamboo (Phyllostachys) punching through the pavement.

Running Bamboo (Phyllostachys) growing up through the pavement in a parking lot.

This is running bamboo bursting through the plastic barriers that are touted as being able to contain it.

I think this one speaks for itself.

Here is the bamboo today June 21, 2014

Golden bamboo infestation at 1262 Bishop Road in Spring Hill Florida. June 21, 2014

Another View of the Golden Bamboo infestation at 1262 Bishop Road in Spring Hill, Florida

The 75 foot barrier was installed in 2011. This year (2014) the bamboo grew past the end of the barrier and into our yard.

The first rhizome was 6 feet long. This sprout is a second one that grew a day or two later. Our neighbors should contain their stuff and not make us pay for it. We need laws!