Conn. Bamboo Planters Could Face Legal Liabilities

While bamboo can evoke images of tranquillity, munching pandas and eco-friendly flooring, an aggressive variety has wreaked havoc on some homeowners and prompted state and local governments to consider holding those who plant the fast-growing bamboo accountable for any damage it may cause. Connecticut’s General Assembly is one of the latest governmental bodies to pass legislation regulating the plant, which is considered a relatively fast and inexpensive way to grow a thick green privacy screen. A new state law that takes effect Oct. 1 addresses so-called running bamboo — essentially bamboo varieties in the genus Phyllostachys, including yellow groove. Connecticut’s law makes people who plant, or allow running bamboo to be planted on their property, liable for any damages caused to a neighboring property. That liability includes the cost of removing of the plant, which can run into the thousands of dollars.