What is a Runner?
A running bamboo is botanically classed as a “monopodial” species. It is usually a temperate zone originator characterized by the development of an open network of horizontal underground stems called rhizomes, from which the new culms grow. These bamboos are monoculture by nature but they can be successfully incorporated into gardens with underground containment barriers or just creative planting and maintenance. Most of these species are grown ornamentally in northern, temperate gardens (USDA zone 8 and below). This invasive habit has earned this group the name of “running” bamboo but the level of invasiveness varies greatly by species. Some behave much like a clumper and stay within a relatively small area.
