Spreading faster and further than Japanese knotweed, bamboo can wreak havoc on properties and even derail house sales
We've all heard the horror stories surrounding Japanese knotweed, but there's another potentially more damaging plant that homeowners should be wary of—and it could have a serious impact on property transactions.
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According to invasive plant specialists Environet UK, buyers are increasingly aware of the risks of bamboo, which can grow incredibly fast and cause untold devastation to homes in its path.
Environet UK has reported a 50% increase in queries about bamboo removal over the last year alone. New research carried out for the company by YouGov revealed that 8% of UK homes are directly affected by bamboo infestations, while a further 3% of homes adjoin affected properties.
House-hunters are conscious of the insidious plant too, with almost a third of those surveyed concerned about discovering bamboo after moving into a new home. Buyers were most worried about the plant's invasive nature, the cost of removal and the risk of damage to their home. In some cases, bamboo can even jeopardise property sales.
A compromised house sale
When Katherine James and Oliver Jones* went to view a three-bedroom detached house in Cambridgeshire in April 2022, they weren't expecting to see a veritable jungle of bamboo consuming the front garden.
The invasive species had initially been planted to add privacy to the outdoor area and shield it from the street. However, the bamboo had spread far beyond its bounds, swallowing up the space and towering several metres in height, obscuring views from the first-floor windows.
To make matters worse, it had also destroyed the property's side fence and spread onto the driveway of the neighbouring property.
While Katherine and Oliver still wanted to purchase the house, they negotiated down the price to cover the cost of excavating and removing the bamboo, and put a five-year guarantee in place with the previous owner, should it rear its head in the future.
In a stark lesson for sellers, Katherine said: "If they hadn’t been willing to deal with it properly and pick up the bill, we would have walked away." Luckily, the bamboo hadn't infiltrated the home's solid concrete foundations, but not all properties get off so lightly...
Catastrophic structural damage
When bamboo does breach the interior of a house, the consequences can be devastating. Back in February 2022, a severe case of bamboo encroachment left one Hampshire homeowner with thousands of pounds worth of damage to the ground floor of their property.
The bamboo had spread from a neighbouring property, with hundreds of metres of bamboo runners found underneath the house.
The discovery came after the homeowners were forced to dig up their ground floor when bamboo began pushing through the floor in the living room, study, hall, and kitchen.
The plant had travelled across the boundary with the next-door property and under the concrete foundations of the house, before forcing its way up. Though the damage was severe, shockingly it could have been even worse as the plant had begun to grow up the cavity walls. If left untreated, it could have forced the walls apart.
Nic Seal, founder and MD of Environet UK, said: “This is the worst case of bamboo encroachment and damage to property I’ve ever seen in this country. Through no fault of their own, the homeowners have suffered significant financial cost, stress, and inconvenience, being required to vacate their home for several months.
The owners were forced to have the entire concrete ground floor of their home broken up and removed so the bamboo rhizome (creeping rootstalk) could be excavated, leading to a home insurance claim of over £10,000.
Incredibly invasive species
Despite the fact bamboo can be even more damaging to homes than Japanese knotweed, it remains a popular material for homeowners, who tend to use it to create screenings and a sense of privacy in gardens.
The attraction of bamboo is that it is easy to grow, takes to most soil types, and is hardy. However, what many homeowners don’t realise is that if it is planted directly into the ground, all bamboo has the potential to be invasive as its roots can travel over 30 feet. These roots are able to push through brickwork, cavities and exploit any weaknesses in concrete.
“It’s unfortunate that bamboo is still sold at garden centres and plant nurseries around the country with little warning about the risk,” Nic Seal says.
“It would be a good deal less popular if people realised that within a few years they could be dealing with an extensive infestation that can spread across boundaries into neighbouring properties, resulting in legal disputes and serious damage to homes, which can be extremely costly to repair.”
Dr Peter Fitzsimons of the Property Care Association (PCA), a trade body that looks after invasive weed control contractors and consultants, echoes Seal's concerns. “It is becoming clear that, in the UK, they [bamboos] possess all the characteristics of an alien invasive species,” he says.
Shockingly, there is no legal requirement for a seller to declare the presence of bamboo on a property when they come to sell.
Given the potential damage the invasive plant can cause, buyers are encouraged to commission a professional survey to assess the risk to a property before they sign on the dotted line.
How to plant bamboo safely
Though Nic Seal recommends avoiding it entirely, if you really want to plant bamboo, stick to these four rules to stop it spreading:
1. Avoid running varieties
Clumping varieties of bamboo, like Bambusa or Chusquea, are much safer than running varieties.
2. Use a pot
Never plant bamboo directly into the ground—always use a pot or some other container.
3. Make cutbacks
Keep on top of your pruning—do it hard and regularly (at least every spring) to prevent the bamboo spreading.
4. If the worse happens, get the professionals in
Though you may be tempted to treat infestations yourself by cutting canes to the ground each time new leaves appear, it's time-consuming and success rates vary. An invasive plants specialist can excavate in days and give you a five-year guarantee.
READ MORE: Japanese knotweed: removal, identification and treatment
*Not their real names
All images: Environet