I've got friends that live in Needville and Guy, and if I remember, the soil is dark gumbo?

Running bamboos would grow a bit slower in the heavy soil, and would cover 1000 sooner, but from my experience, you need a wider area for using a running bamboo for a windbreak.

The hardiest tall clumper that does well here is Bambusa textilis. Grows just over 40 feet tall with culms about 2.5 inches thick. It grows vase shaped but needs little upkeep and does well in higher winds, than my B. oldhamii which grows very erect, about the same height, but culms get up to 4.5 inches thick here. It is also less cold hardy.

Some of the varieties of B. textilis are also some to look into but most grow a bit smaller. B. beecheyana, B. malingensis, B. pachinensis, and B. vetricosa all are large growing bamboos that do well here in Winter.

Here, if I had to plant a long windbreak, I'd go with B. textilis, because of it's hardiness and thick close growing culms which let little wind through.

Caldwell Nursery in Rosenberg has a nice selection of bamboo and may be able to help you more in your area. You could visit and see what varieties look/grow suitable for your needs.

However, with 1000 feet, I would recommend growing a couple or more different varieties. After a couple or three years, you can take divisions from the plants and quickly cover the 1000 from growing your own rather than spending a lot. It may set you 3 to five years behind though.

Caldwell Nursery

Kt

I would still use a Phyllostachys genus, the running types. That is the only way you can cover the sort of space you are talking about somewhat quickly. I would recommend planting 3 foot apart to get the fastest coverage. Clay soils are not a problem with Phyllostachys as that is what we have in OKC but it is red clay. There are several that will get to about 30 feet, fewer choices when you want 45' tall. I would say Phyllostachys nigra 'Henon' (max. 55') or Phyllostachys vivax(max. 60-70'). Vivax is the faster grower. Now the other problem is that these big bamboos will eventually have very few lower branches, eventually the lowest branch may be like 12-20' from the ground. If you need low branching always then you might need to go with something like Phyllostachys aurea, this one will keep lower branching always even as it gets fatter and taller. Email me if you have any other questions. I happen to have both or I can guide you maybe to another source.

Thanks for the responses. Yes, the soil is black gumbo. Somehow I had got it in my head that Caldwell N. was by appointment only. I will contact them