How to Remove Bamboo in Perth
Bamboo is the plant people most often regret. What started as a quick privacy screen can turn into an aggressive, spreading thicket - especially the running types. Removing it for good takes more than cutting it down; here's how it actually works.
Know which bamboo you have
- Clumping bamboo expands slowly in a tight clump and is relatively straightforward to dig out or contain.
- Running bamboo spreads via underground rhizomes that travel well beyond the original plant, popping up across the yard - and often under fences into neighbouring properties. This is the one that causes the headaches.
Removing it for good
Cutting the canes back only buys time - the rhizome network underground is what keeps it alive. Proper removal means excavating the rhizomes, ideally the whole mat, then monitoring for regrowth and dealing with any new shoots promptly before they re-establish. For a large or long-established stand this is heavy, persistent work, and any rhizome left behind can restart the whole problem. Installing a root barrier can stop a remaining or neighbouring clump from spreading back in.
Get it cleared properly
Bamboo removal is exactly the kind of stubborn clearing job worth doing once, properly. San's Tree Service clears bamboo and overgrowth across Perth, roots and all, with free quotes - call (08) 9560 6103. See also our land and block clearing guide.
Frequently asked questions
Why is running bamboo so hard to remove?
Running bamboo spreads by underground rhizomes that can travel metres from the original clump, sending up new shoots well away from the parent plant. Unless every piece of rhizome is dug out, it regrows - which is why piecemeal cutting never works.
What's the difference between clumping and running bamboo?
Clumping bamboo stays in a tight, slowly-expanding clump and is far easier to control or remove. Running bamboo sends out aggressive rhizomes and can become invasive across a yard - and into a neighbour's. Knowing which you have changes the whole job.