Knowledgebase

Bamboo in lawn #930657

Asked May 05, 2026, 9:57 AM EDT

How can you eradicate bamboo spreading in lawn?

Oakland County Michigan

Expert Response

Thank you for your question. You have a difficult task before you. You may have to use digging, mowing and herbicides for several years to get rid of it. Be careful, when digging, to pick up all the root fragments so they don't root and start more bamboo.
Here are links to articles on controlling bamboo:
https://extension.psu.edu/practical-remedies-for-japanese-stiltgrass
https://utia.tennessee.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/269/2023/10/W220.pdf
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/nassauco/2017/07/18/q-neighbors-bamboo-becoming-problem-property-can-keep-control/
https://homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu/factsheets/bamboo
I also wonder if you might have Japanese Knotweed, also known as Japanese or Mexican bamboo. More info in the following links:
https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/invasive-species/JapaneseKnotweedBCP.pdf
https://learn.misin.msu.edu/webapp/facts/detail/?project=misin&id=25&cname=Japanese+knotweed
https://extension.psu.edu/japanese-knotweed - identification & control
https://ag.purdue.edu/btny/purdueweedscience/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Japanese-Knotweed.pdf
Control of Japanese Knotweed is similar to the of bamboo. I wish you success.

Dick M. Replied May 06, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT

Our mission is to help Cooperative Extension generate a more visible, measurable, local act. We achieve this through our nationally funded programs made possible by member dollars and cooperative agreements with federal agencies, and through partnering on state, regional, and national initiatives with Cooperative Extension and the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP). We serve all Land Grant Universities, regardless of membership status.

This work is supported in part by New Technologies for Ag Extension grant no. 2020-41595-30123 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Loading ...