It seems like a bunch of people in South Jersey-in Gloucester County, Atlantic County (particularly in Galloway), and even in parts of Cape May County-have been increasingly complaining about bamboo that seems to be taking over their yards.
Turns out, it might not even be bamboo at all, but a plant that, sort of, mimics it.
The likely culprit is Japanese knotweed or Bohemian knotweed, both invasive plants that can look surprisingly similar to bamboo. They both have tall, hollow-looking stems, and their dense growth make it easy to see why a homeowner might assume they’re dealing with bamboo.
Here's the frustrating part: even though both of these families love gardening, they never planted it in the first place.
When Your Neighbor’s Yard Becomes Your Problem
Two of my friends are having issues with this stuff, and it didn't even originate from their yard.
Personally, I think it's clear what's happening. In both of these cases (one in Atlantic County, one in Gloucester County) their neighbors have reached an age where they can't keep up with their yards on their own anymore.
Honestly, I don't think that's necessarily anyone's fault. A lot of people would probably love to move into a smaller property or a 55+ community that's easier to maintain, but moving isn't exactly cheap or simple.
Sure, their older neighbors are paying people to mow their lawns, but it's not the same as maintaining the bushes, shrubs, and yes, imitation bamboo (oops), that they've planted over the years.
That's where things get unfair.
My friends are potentially stuck dealing with an invasive plant problem that they didn't create simply because it spread beyond someone else's property.
This Isn't Just Something You Can Mow Away
Knotweed can spread through underground rhizomes, making established infestations notoriously difficult to control. So while the lawn might look perfectly maintained, the stuff growing along a property line can become a much bigger headache.
And that's what makes this more than just an ugly weed problem. In South Jersey, an aging neighborhood, decades-old landscaping and an aggressive invasive plant can eventually collide—and the homeowner who ends up paying for it isn't necessarily the person who planted it.
Scary, giant, invasive spider's arrival now imminent for NJ
Gallery Credit: Mike Brant
