It may give your backyard a more tropical feel, but its invasiveness may cause an unwanted jungle for your neighbors: Bamboo planting has been on the rise in New Jersey, and numerous municipalities now have ordinances on the books to curb its growth.
In most cases, these local laws aren t outright bans. It s about maintenance, according to Mike Cerra, executive director of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. I don t know if our climate is particularly suited for it. I would assume that it s the novelty of it, he said. You plant a garden, if you re growing tomatoes, you re out there pruning them through the season. If you re growing roses, you re pruning the roses. This is no different.