I don't think you should plant any in the ground because it sounds like you will be constantly worrying. Bamboo can be invasive if ignored, but there are a lot of urban myths about its aggressiveness, too. Bamboo can be controlled by rhizome pruning, but that doesn't work if people don't do it a couple of times a year. Every place I've ever seen where bamboo got out of control was because the owners failed to do normal maintenance for several years and then woke up to the fact that they had a problem. You can plant it in a pot, but expect to be repotting every couple of years as it grows. Don't use any pot that isn't a standard vase shape or you'll never get it out because the roots go to the sides and circle. And like most plants, it will not be as healthy or hardy in a pot as in the ground. An alternative is to buy a clumping bamboo. I don't know what you consider expensive, but many bamboo are available online for $20 + shipping for smaller ones; local nurseries often charge outrageous amounts.

Growing from seed is complicated because seed is only available for a particular species when it flowers...and that occurs at unpredictable intervals that are decades apart. So the likelihood that you could find seed for a particular species is remote. Finally, if you had a plant and it did flower, it typically saps all the plant's energy and it dies. You can find seed on eBay, but most of that is from outside the U.S. and it is technically a violation of U.S. plant regulations to import it without getting a permit and paying for a 1-year quarantine. If you do grow from seed, it will take 3-5 years before it attains any significant height.

Thank you for the information! I'm not even considering putting this in the ground, nor trying to start from seeds.

The stuff that is growing in the vacant lot grows a lot in the "wild" around here and it is truly a monster, like kudzu. The pots I am wanting to use are very large, about 15 inches across the top, bowl-shaped. The sides are straight up at the top, so that shouldn't be a problem. The only thing I can think of is that I'll have to watch the bottom of the pot to make sure no rhizomes get out, get off the concrete, and go into the ground. What a nightmare that would be, right here in my courtyard! And knowing what I do about this stuff, I bet it will be perfectly hardy in the pot! But even if it were to die some unusually cold winter, there is plenty more to be dug up.
:-)

(Yes, $20+ for a plant is expensive to me.)

Thanks again for your informative answer!