There are a wide variety of non-native invasive plant species that have taken hold in Madison County. These plants cause harm to the environment, as well as potential harm to human, animal, and plant health in the preexisting environment. Some of these damages can be caused by overtaking beneficial native plants in the ecosystem, act as vectors for diseases and other invasive species, such as invasive insects, and are unhealthy or potentially toxic to native animals. In this series, we will discuss identification and control of these prevalent invasive plants.

Identifying Golden Bamboo

Golden bamboo (scientific name Phyllostachys aurea), also known as fishpole bamboo is an invasive perennial evergreen plant in the grass family. This bamboo can grow up to 30 feet tall, but usually averages closer to 10 to 20 feet tall. Originally from China, golden bamboo was brought into the southeastern US in the 1880s, as a landscape plant that could create a natural privacy fence. The stems, also called canes, of this invasive species are woody and reed-like, growing in jointed sections that are hollow at the center and solid at the joints. The canes can measure from 1 inch to 6 inches in diameter, with lance-shaped leaves climbing up the canes in an alternating pattern, resembling fans. The stems will also have white rings around each node, which will turn more yellow as the plant ages, or when those nodes are exposed to direct sunlight. Golden bamboo can grow well in both full sun and partial shade areas, making it spread easily through forested areas, and can tolerate a wide variety of soil types, adding to its ability to spread prolifically into a wide variety of areas. It rarely produces any flowers or fruits on its own, but the fruit that golden bamboo produces is what are known as caryopses. A caryopsis is a type of fruit that occurs when the ovary wall,or the fruit wall, is united with the seed coat. This is the same type of fruit that is present in many other plants in the grass family, most specifically cereal grains like wheat, oats, and barley. In the rare case of golden bamboo flowering, the blooms are very grass-like as well. This invasive can easily be confused with a native plant called giant cane (Arundinaria gigantea), which has many similar characteristics, but this similar plant does not grow to the same heights, only reaching about 6 to 8 feet tall.

How It Spreads

Golden bamboo has spread prolifically throughout the southeastern United States, as well as finding its way into further west states such as Oklahoma, Arkansas, and even into the Pacific Northwest in Oregon. Despite its very invasive nature, this plant is still promoted and sold as ornamentals, and for the use in creating natural privacy fences. Unlike most plants, golden bamboo rarely flowers or fruits, so it does not spread through seed dispersion. Rather, it creates dense thickets of itself through the spreading of rhizomes, underground stems connected to the root systems. Its rhizomal root systems can cause structural damage to the foundation of homes, walls, and roads while allowing golden bamboo to spread in dense patches with rapid growth. This rapid growth and the density of the growth pattern has the ability to choke out other species attempting to grow around the thickets, causing a monoculture in the invaded areas. The rhizomes also cause this invasive species to spread easily into disturbed soils, making it a difficult invasive to control through mechanical methods, such as trying to remove it down to the roots. 

Controlling Golden Bamboo

Thanks to golden bamboo’s ability to develop into a monoculture and how difficult it is to keep within boundaries once it has been planted, this invasive species should avoid being planted at all costs. It can take years of dedication and effort to control the spread of this invasive plant. If infestations are small, they can be eradicated using mechanical methods such as cutting or mowing. Pulling is not a feasible method of control, as the rhizomal roots allow for golden bamboo to resprout and move into areas of disturbed soil. When trying to control this invasive species by cutting, the bamboo must be cut repeatedly during the growing season as close to the ground as possible for several years in a row to exhaust the energy stored in the rhizomes. This method will not work on large infestations, as larger stalks have the potential to damage equipment like mowers and weed-eaters. 

To remove large infestations, oftentimes methods of chemical control are necessary. There are two different methods that can be used to control golden bamboo with the use of chemicals. One of the methods of chemical control that can be used is the use of a foliar spray. To conduct this method, use a solution of 2-3% glyphosate, a non-selective herbicide, mixed with a 0.5% nonionic surfactant to help the herbicide stick to the bamboo as it is sprayed. This method is most effective when the air temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning the most optimal time of the year to spray during the late fall or early spring. The second method of chemical control is known as the cut-stump method. This method involves cutting the stalks off as close to the ground as possible, and then immediately after cutting, spray the revealed stump with a solution of 25% glyphosate. Be sure the stump is sprayed within three minutes of being cut, as the turgor pressure from the plant’s vascular system will help draw the chemical into the root systems for a more effective kill. Turgor pressure is caused by the pressure of water within the plant cells that allows the plant to keep its upright and rigid structure, as well as aiding in the flow of nutrients across the expanse of the plant, from the tips of the leaves to the ends of the roots underground. This method can be used to control golden bamboo throughout the entire year, as long as the ground is not frozen. 

No matter which methods are used, golden bamboo infestations must be carefully monitored after removal has begun, as it can take several years to fully eradicate the stand in those treated areas. It requires dedication and patience to remove, and it requires monitoring even after most of the eradication has taken place to make sure that the invasive plant has not resprouted. 

If you have any other questions about identifying or controlling golden bamboo, please contact the Madison County Cooperative Extension Center at (828) 649-2411, or reach out to me directly at peyton_duckett@ncsu.edu.

Citations

Britannica Editors. (2016, March 7). Caryopsis. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/caryopsis

Invasive Species Leaflet. (2010, March). NCDA&CS, Forest Service Division. https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-forest-service/is10/download?attachment 

North Carolina State University. (n.d.). Phyllostachys aurea. North Carolina Extension  Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/phyllostachys-aurea/