It's not expensive if you can find somebody to let you dig up some of theirs.

I'm sure there will be someone with better or more complete answers, but here's a start . . .

For height, bamboo culms do their growing in 60 - 90 days. The tallest bamboo culm found was a Dendrocalamus species (tectus???) that was 14" diameter and ~150' tall!!! After that spurt of growth, they simply look beautiful and provide food for the rhizomes underground. Any given culm will live for 5 - 7 years.

If, by "width," you mean the size of the "grove," a good rule of thumb is that the rhizomes will grow the same distance in a season as the culms are tall. (This is for a running type; clumpers I'm not sure of how fast they expand.) If, by "width," you mean diameter of the culm, the diameter is constant once it reaches its total height.

As far as a fence goes, I've only been at it for two years so can only say that you need at least that many years. By extrapolating my experience, I'd say that you can have a good fence in 4 years. Of course that depends on how big an area you're talking about and how many divisions you want to start with.

mshaffer is right about the cost. Out of my collection of 11 types, I've spent about $200. That was $140 for 4 large divisions of a specific runner and $60 for a specific clumper. All the others I've picked up here and there through trades or generous friends.

Growth is highly dependent on species, and something just planted will take a couple of years to start really cranking out the growth. If the bamboo is well taken care of, and is appropriate for your growing zone, you'll simply see larger (height and diameter) culms each spring/summer until the "normal-maximum" size is reached for that species. After that, it will continue to put up new culms each year, but they'll be the same size. As far as spreading, it again depends on the species. I've seen some species send out runners 30' and then pop out of the ground, and I've seen others go no more than 10' in 30 years. In addition, when we exchange experiences in this forum, some people report extensive running for a species and someone else will say it pretty much stays put. If you're planting clumpers, they won't go anywhere, except that they'll expand a little each year.

Here is a link that gives you maximum size (and other characteristics) for most species available in the U.S.:

ABS Species Tables

As for expense: bamboo seed is rarely available, so most people buy field divisions that have been grown for several years before they're of a size to market. Think in terms of what you would pay for a 3-5 year old specialty tree and the cost seems less problematic.

Comparing the price as pointed out does put a better slant on the cost.

As I stated before this is all new to me, but I do love oriental so the bamboo fits.

I do appreciate the information you have shared with me.
For some reason there are just not that many people in this area that grow bamboo. Even our Botanical gardens only has a small amount of what we call creek/river bamboo.

Guess I'll be the pioneer and see if I can get others around here interested.

Kudzu, thanks so much for the link. Lots of information there and looks like some great places to buy!

Thanks again
Patris

lewisbamboo.com has several "screening" pkgs with 4 plants per pkg.

I got the Ph. rubromarginata last, still in containers. Apparently it's very aggressive spreader, and produces 3", 50 ft culms.

You can probably drive around and find some wild stands of Ph. aurea, the most common hedging bamboo. If you can get permission. The more "divisions" you dig up, to plant along your property line, the less time you have to wait for the hedge to fill in the gaps.