Bamboo poses concern as photos reveal its invasive growth through walls and road surfaces
In the autumn of 2023, Lois Connelly, an NHS worker, found herself facing an unexpected challenge while purchasing a property in Bristol. A homebuyer report had advised her to seek expert advice about the bamboo growing in both the front and back gardens of the property. Little did she know, this seemingly innocuous plant was about to become a significant headache.
Bamboo, once popular in British gardens during the 1990s and the turn of the century, is now posing a growing problem. Dealing with a bamboo problem often requires excavating the root ball and digging out every lateral rhizome, a task that may involve crossing into neighboring properties.
Lois's potential property was home to a 'running' variety of bamboo, a type that poses a threat to underground services, including pipes and drains, and had begun to encroach into the neighboring property. This variety, if left unchecked, can grow through walls, drains, patios, cavity walls, and even cracks or weaknesses in concrete foundations.
The cost of removing bamboo from a home can be substantial, typically ranging from £3,500+VAT. In extreme cases, like a 2022 infestation in Hampshire, the excavation of the entire ground floor was necessary at a cost of over £100,000 due to the bamboo emerging through the floor in the living room, hall, and kitchen.
Lois requested a reduction in the price to fund the professional bamboo removal work, but the vendor refused at first, feeling the work was unnecessary. It was only when Lois withdrew her offer that the seller agreed to a price reduction covering half of the removal costs.
This experience underscores the lack of awareness around invasive bamboo. Even the seller's estate agent didn't seem to recognize the problem at first. Lois advises anyone buying a property with bamboo in the garden to have a professional survey done and be prepared to walk away if the seller won't resolve the issue.
Emily Grant, director of invasive plant specialist Environet, has suggested that mortgage lenders might start to look more closely at the issue of bamboo and impose lending restrictions, similar to those for Japanese knotweed. This could potentially protect homebuyers from inheriting a bamboo problem and the costly removal work that comes with it.
However, not all bamboo species are invasive. Common non-invasive types like Fargesia species (e.g., Fargesia nitida 'Jiuzhaigou' and Fargesia rufa) are mentioned as popular garden bamboos that do not have invasive roots and are less likely to cause structural damage.
