Guildford, Surrey<\/p>\n
Kinston Upon Thames, London<\/p>\n
South West London<\/p>\n
Reading, Berkshire<\/p>\n
Brighton, East Sussex<\/p>\n
South East London<\/p>\n
Redhill, Surrey<\/p>\n
Bristol<\/p>\n
Twickenham, London<\/p>\n
North London<\/p>\n
\n The specialists said that Brighton postcodes account for 3.3% of almost 6,000 bamboo enquiries and survey requests from customers since 2019.\n<\/p>\n
\n This year, Environet dealt with a serious case of bamboo encroachment at a house just outside Brighton, which resulted in the entire conservatory being demolished<\/a> after it spread from next door and began to emerge from the walls and floor.\n<\/p>\n \n The homeowners had been living in the detached property for a year when they noticed leaves sprouting from the floor threshold of the conservatory where it joins the main house, and from a crack in the wall.\n<\/p>\n \n \n They were unsure what it was at first before realising it was next door\u2019s bamboo after they dug up the path between the properties and discovered a mass of bamboo rhizome.\n<\/p>\n \n After lifting sections of the floor and removing sections of plaster from the walls, an extensive network of mature bamboo rhizome was found beneath the concrete base of the conservatory, growing inside the cavity walls and extending into the brickwork of the house.\n<\/p>\n \n The conservatory has since been demolished.\n<\/p>\n Warning issued to homeowners over invasive bamboo<\/p>\n \n A YouGov survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by Environet earlier this year found that more than half (54%) of people are unaware that bamboo can cause serious problems such as hindering property sales, causing physical damage to property and prompting disputes with neighbours.\n<\/p>\n \n Only 38% of people would be put off by a bamboo infestation on a property they wanted to buy, versus 71% who would be deterred if the more notorious Japanese knotweed was present.\n<\/p>\n How to Care for Your Garden During Winter<\/p>\n \n Environet warned that although knotweed is more likely to reduce a property\u2019s value because of its stigma and the legal requirement to disclose it to buyers, bamboo can cause even greater and faster damage due to how quickly it spreads.\n<\/p>\n \n Running varieties send out long, lateral rhizomes (underground stems) that can extend more than 10 metres from the original plant, rapidly taking over lawns, flowerbeds, paths and patios, and even spreading beneath sheds and buildings.\n<\/p>\n \n Once established, bamboo can reach its full height, often several metres, within just a year.\n<\/p>\n \n Emily Grant, Operations Director at Environet, said: \u201cEver since the garden makeover shows of the 1990s, bamboo has been popular with homeowners and gardeners for its exotic appearance, hardiness and ability to create instant privacy.\n<\/p>\n \n “The southeast of England is by far the worst affected region of the country and in places like Brighton, we\u2019re seeing it cause serious problems for homeowners \u2013 breaking through patios, spreading into neighbours\u2019 gardens and making its way into homes.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cPeople think of bamboo as a harmless and attractive plant, but once it takes hold, it can be every bit as destructive as Japanese knotweed.\n<\/p>\n \n An anonymous couple from Brighton have been forced to demolish their conservatory after bamboo began to emerge from the walls & floor.<\/p>\n While bamboo isn’t officially classified as an invasive species in the UK it spreads faster & further than the well-known Japanese knotweed.A shoot growing between the conservatory and main house of the couple’s home (Image: Environet)\n<\/p>\n
The\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/JnKMObBOjQ<\/a>\n <\/p>\n