Running bamboo can provide a serene privacy screen or a beautiful bamboo grove to walk through. Runners with easy maintenance can make a dense natural screen very effective in urban landscapes to provide privacy. They form very vertical privacy screens providing dense screening even in a narrow planting site.
Running varieties are usually larger and more vigorous than clumping varieties. If in doubt, plant in a container to control spread.
There is a running species for most all climate zones. From the cold of climate Zone 5 to the warmth of the tropics, there is a running species suited for all applications. Control of running bamboo is simple and there are numerous methods. Mowing your lawn as always along with root pruning twice a year around the desired grove perimeter are the most common methods. There is also the in ground barrier containment method.