Woodend Restoration Watch: Bamboo

A patch of invasive bamboo on a property adjacent to Woodend.

At Woodend, targeting non-native invasive species has always been a priority for the restoration department. An invasive species that is of top concern to us at ANS is non-native bamboo. While there are a few different species of non-native bamboo, the most aggressive is golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea). Originally native to China and Japan, it was first introduced as an ornamental in Alabama in 1882. Today, it can be found throughout the southeastern states as well as a few western ones. Despite its early introduction into the US, it was not described as having an invasive habit until 1999. This habit forms dense single-species thickets that displace native plant species and create dense shade that makes it difficult for seedlings of native species to survive. Once established, they can be very difficult to eradicate. (Swearingen 2014). Also, since they primarily reproduce vegetatively through underground rhizomes, flowers and seeds are rarely produced, providing little to no support for our native wildlife.

Left: Bamboo forms large thickets with dense shade. Middle: Invasive bamboo tends to form monoculture thickets. Right: A patch of bamboo in the process of being removed (Photo credit: Gregg Peterson).

 

At Woodend, we removed multiple patches of dense bamboo, specifically in order for us to install our deer fence. The largest of which is about three quarters the size of an Olympic swimming pool and was located in an area behind our north parking lot. Only mechanical removal was used. ANS removed the above ground canes of bamboo with dedicated volunteers, including two eagle scout projects. Master Naturalist volunteer, Gregg Peterson, who is now a Board member also spent many hours battling the thirty-foot tall bamboo canes. Once the canes were all cut and the mountain of biomass hauled away, ANS hired a contractor with a mini excavator to remove as many bamboo root masses as possible. The bamboo was cut as low to the ground as possible, then the root systems were dug out and removed using an excavator. A large majority of the root systems were removed, but some were left alone as the removal of them would have damaged existing trees in the area.

Left: Gregg Peterson in the process of removing bamboo at Woodend. Middle: Piles of removed bamboo root balls at Woodend. Right: The bamboo area after removal and planting.

 

Once all the bamboo was removed, a diversity of native plants were added. 8 oak saplings, 100 bareroot seedlings of various species such as silky dogwood (Cornus amomum), persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), black cherry (Prunus serotina) and red oak (Quercus rubra), as well as 24 American chestnut (Castanea dentata) seeds were planted in this area. To add some more larger plant material, we also planted 10 eastern red cedar and 10 American holly in 7-gallon containers. 

Left: A plethora of tree tubes with native species now take up the bamboo area. Middle: A silky dogwood peeking out of its tree tube. Right: A white oak sapling planted in the restored area.

 

Manual control through cutting and digging out of rhizomes is possible, but labor intensive. Bamboo can also be controlled with herbicides that target grasses (typically as a follow up to manual control).  In all cases, control of well-established bamboo patches generally requires several years of repeated efforts. The best way to control it, though, is to not plant it. Consider native alternatives such as giant cane (Arundinaria gigantean), the US’s only native bamboo species. 

 

Definitions

Invasive: As per Executive Order 13112 (Section 1. Definitions) an “invasive species” is defined as a species that is:

1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and

2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. 

Rhizomes: a continuously growing horizontal underground stem which puts out lateral shoots and adventitious roots at intervals

Sapling: a young tree; specifically, one not over four inches (about 10 centimeters) in diameter at breast height.

 

Sources

Bamboo. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2, 2019, from https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/bamboo

Golden Bamboo. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2, 2019, from https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/profile/golden-bamboo

Phyllostachys aurea. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2, 2019, from https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/graminoid/phyaur/all.html

Phyllostachys aurea Carrière ex A. Rivière & C. Rivière golden bamboo. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=phau8

Swearingen, J., Slattery, B., Reshetiloff, K., & Zwicker, S. (2014). Plant invaders of mid-Atlantic natural areas. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service.

Get the latest updates on Woodend restoration on our new blog @ Woodend Sanctuary – Nature Forward

About Bradley Simpson

Bradley is a Restoration Fellow working for the Restoration department at ANS from August 2019 - August 2020. He is a recent graduate from the University of Maryland, College Park with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Management and hopes to pursue a graduate degree this fall.
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