Mike- If you're talking about filling a 10' wide space with 3 B. lako of that size, I think -- depending on your growing conditions -- that it will be a good 5 years before you get them to approximate a filled-in hedge...or even have to think about topping them. The other concern I have about B. lako (and other large bamboo) is that, once it matures, it tends to have less foliage near the ground than the top, so you could be topping a lot of the higher up foliage, and leaving lower culms that look a little bare. If you must top, don't do all the culms at the same height, so it will look a little more natural. I know B. lako is beautiful, but I also have an alternate suggestion: get a smaller clumper (say, Bambusa multiplex 'Golden goddess'), that you won't have to crop. Or get an open clumper, like Yushania anceps, which acts like a clumper, but will spread out faster than a true clumper. However, it won't be so fast that you can't easily rhizome prune if it starts to move in the wrong direction (it simply doesn't send out long runners), and it only reaches a height of 12', so you wouldn't have to top it. Here is a picture of 3 of them (they're to the right of the lantern) that I planted against a 9' high fence. That was right after planting; they've filled out nicely over the last 3 years, but I don't have a picture of that since I sold that house. My only concern in making this recommendation to you is that Y. anceps prefers something less than full sun, and your spot looks pretty sunny. Maybe someone here has some experience with growing it in your conditions.

Well said! I've also had bamboo on my acre and a half homestead for years (not quite 180 years yet, though!) and I've never had a problem. A little foresight, information and effort is all it takes to have a good experience with bamboo. I've got 24 or 25 species and I love it! It always amazes me how people find out that I have bamboo and feel compelled to tell horror stories of ignorant people who had bad experiences. I've seen this before, actually. I ride motorcycles and I've observed that many people spontaneously offer horrible stories of motorcycle wrecks they've seen and heard of (again, mostly ignorant people doing dumb things and having problems). Sorry about the rant! The bottom line is - runners do outperform clumpers (at least in zone 6 in Ohio they do anyway!) and it's sad how many people are scared to plant and enjoy them. It's nice to hear a positive statement about bamboo control!

Thanks! The tight space is misleading because of the odd camera angle. You are seeing part of the smaller clump. This picture was taken during the home inspection to show the general side area looking back along a patio wall. 180 degrees around and it is more open. The second, larger clump is much bigger and has more area around it. I will post something on Craigslist when I dig it up later. I'm just not a fan of the way it looks, plus having to trim it. Also it tends to shed leaves a lot, which may or may not be normal. I'm sure the previous owners liked the bamboo though. I'd rather have some evergreen shrubs or small trees in that location. I will probably end up putting a couple of pineapple guavas there. Thanks for the postings and replies :-) Ed

The American Bamboo Society lists Mex Weep as cold hardy to 22F and all of the Bambusa multiplexes as cold hardy to 18F. I think they may be cold hardy to even 15F from my experience, but other factors are involved, such as keeping them watered well before a freeze helps keep them from frostbite, and also if they are planted in a protected area or next to a warm house. The B. textilis is the largest and most cold hardy Bambusa that does very well here. Mine has survived many Winters down to below 15F with only a little leaf burn and it has no protection from cold north winds. The B. multiplexes are the next cold hardiest of my clumpers. The Mexican Weeping does very well in these long hot humid Summers, but it doesn't do well below about 26F where it starts to lose leaves from frostbite. Remember, a young plant is less cold hardy than a well-established one. Good Luck Kt