Knowledgebase

Bamboo Spread Onto My Property #906244

Asked June 18, 2025, 11:42 AM EDT

Several years ago my neighbor planted bamboo on their property, but near the property line for my lot. Since then the bamboo has spread aggressively into my yard. No barriers were considered during their planting. I am constantly cutting it back or trying to mow over it. However, I am sometimes gone on business trips for 2 weeks or so and by then the sprouts are grown several feet on the areas I mow. I talked to the neighbor, which we have (or did) have a good relationship with. His response was "just mow over it". However, as can be seen in the pics, it is an area where I park a utility trailer behind my barn and do not mow often (would have to move the trailer everytime I mow). I offered to help him with time and effort to tear up the roots but he refused. He said he liked the bamboo. He recently deceased, and the wife was not of fan of the bamboo and said she would get rid of it. She hired a group to come eradicate it, but all they did was chop it off. The root system is still there, and it is growing again. The pictures show the bamboo that is on my property. The root system has now grown in front of the barn and continues to spread. My question is what recourse do I have? I have read about chemicals (glyphosate), vinegar, or tarp solutions, but these all take years. The neighbor is probably going to sell their property in the next year or so, and so are we. The presence of bamboo on my property will affect resale values. Although I still want this worked out amicably, do I have any legal options? Does HB0090 help me any? Any assistance/advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Washington County Maryland

Expert Response

Hi- running bamboo species will spread unless removed (i.e., all of the rhizomes 12-18 inches down in the soil) or contained. In 2023, the MD legislature passed a bill "Authorizing the governing bodies of counties and municipalities to adopt ordinances to regulate invasive bamboo, including by prohibiting a person from selling, planting, and allowing invasive bamboo to grow on the property of the person without proper upkeep and appropriate containment measures."

We don't know if your county or towns have passed an ordinance. 

Reputable contractors who do bamboo remediation work tend to follow some variation of this process: cut all culms (bamboo stalks) to the ground, use a skid steer loader or mini-excavator to dig and lift rhizomes and roots, and remove all rhizome remnants by hand. Grade and replant as needed. 

Cutting the culms and applying a non-selective herbicide to the cut ends will not eradicate the bamboo stand in one year. It usually takes several years.

A bamboo barrier is installed if containment, not eradication, is the goal. The barrier is usually 36 inches wide with 8 inches above grade to prevent rhizomes from "walking" over the barrier when organic matter fills up the bamboo side. It is very difficult to remove bamboo rhizomes that surround a fence. They wrap around footers.

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/containing-and-removing-bamboo/
Jon

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