The short version
- Angi national: average about $875; most jobs $450 to $1,300; long multi-day jobs up to about $2,400.
- Golden bamboo is on Virginia DCR's invasive plant list with a medium rank.
- Alabama Extension says most rhizomes sit in the top 12 inches of soil, but any piece left behind can resprout.
- Va. Code § 15.2-901.1 lets localities fine owners whose running bamboo spreads: up to $50, then $200, capped at $3,000 in 12 months.
Roanoke Tree Removal is a local referral service: we pass your request to an independent, local tree crew. We are not a contractor or a government office, and this page is general information, not legal advice.
Bamboo removal prices (national figures)
| Item (national) | Published figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average removal job | About $875 | Angi, bamboo removal, Checked Oct 15, 2026 |
| Most homeowners spend | $450 – $1,300 | Angi, bamboo removal, Checked Oct 15, 2026 |
| Per plant | $100 – $200 (small plants from $50) | Angi, bamboo removal, Checked Oct 15, 2026 |
| Hourly labor | $25 – $80 | Angi, bamboo removal, Checked Oct 15, 2026 |
| Half day / full day | About $400 / about $800 | Angi, bamboo removal, Checked Oct 15, 2026 |
| Multi-day, labor-heavy job | Up to about $2,400 | Angi, bamboo removal, Checked Oct 15, 2026 |
| Hauling and dumping | $25 – $100 | Angi, bamboo removal, Checked Oct 15, 2026 |
All rows are national estimates from one Angi guide. Its state table does not list Virginia. A crew that has seen the grove sets the real price.
Angi names plant count, density, digging conditions, and access as the main drivers, and says clay soil and rhizomes under concrete or fences add labor. A fence-line strip and a grove filling half a yard are different jobs, so get the area and method in writing.
Running or clumping: what is in the yard
University of Maryland Extension splits bamboo into clumping types, with short rhizomes and slow spread, and running types, whose long rhizomes can run indefinitely unless the growing tip is damaged. Alabama Extension says clumping bamboos are not considered invasive in the Southeast and are less cold tolerant, while running bamboos are hardier and can grow aggressively. The Piedmont Master Gardeners describe golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea), also called fishpole bamboo, as one of the most common non-native bamboos in Virginia, with canes 1 to 6 inches thick, 30 feet or more tall, and stacked rings at the lower joints. Virginia DCR's 2024 list ranks golden bamboo as medium invasiveness in all three of the state's regions, though DCR notes the list is educational and has no regulatory authority.
Why cutting the canes is not enough
Alabama Extension explains that every cane in a grove is a clone joined by one rhizome system, usually in the upper 12 inches of soil, and that the whole system must be destroyed for full control. It says golden bamboo and other large species can spread 15 feet a year; Fairfax County gives the same figure for running bamboo. Maryland Extension adds that rhizomes can travel a hundred feet or more, and new canes reach full height in their first year. The Piedmont Master Gardeners warn that bamboo can regrow from a single node. A crew that only cuts and chips the canes has handled the visible part; ask what happens to the rhizomes and to next spring's shoots.
Removal methods compared
| Method | How it works | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Repeated cutting or mowing | Cut canes, then cut or mow every new shoot | Alabama Extension: should exhaust reserves over several seasons; timing not well studied |
| Digging out rhizomes | Backhoe, mini-excavator, root rake, or shovel | Alabama Extension: missed rhizomes can resprout. Maryland Extension: fastest, but costs more and disturbs the yard |
| Rhizome barrier | Plastic or metal sheet buried around the grove | Fairfax County: 36 in tall, about 30 in buried. Maryland Extension: 60 to 80 mil HDPE or polypropylene |
| Open trench | A trench about 12 in wide, 1 to 2 ft deep, checked and cut | Alabama Extension: may be the most cost-effective long-term containment |
| Herbicide | Systemic product on cut canes or regrowth | Maryland Extension: last resort. Piedmont Master Gardeners: follow the VCE Pest Management Guide and the label |
Summaries of Alabama Extension FOR-2088, University of Maryland Extension, Fairfax County, and Piedmont Master Gardeners guidance. Mixing methods is common.
Virginia law on running bamboo
Va. Code § 15.2-901.1, added in 2017, defines running bamboo as bamboo with aggressive spreading behavior, including the Phyllostachys genus. It lets any locality adopt an ordinance saying that no landowner may let running bamboo grow without upkeep and containment such as barriers or trenching, and that no landowner may let it spread onto a public right-of-way or a neighbor's land. Civil fines run up to $50 for a first violation and up to $200 for later separate violations within 12 months; each business day can count separately, but one set of facts cannot pass $3,000 in 12 months. Va. Code § 15.2-901 also lets localities make owners cut growth, including running bamboo, and bill them when the locality does the cutting; that rule does not apply to land zoned for or in active farming. Fairfax County, for one, requires owners to contain running bamboo through its vegetation ordinance.
Rules in the Roanoke Valley
The City of Roanoke's weed and trash page defines weeds as plants, grass, or other vegetation over 10 inches tall, names examples such as tree of heaven and ragweed plus any other undesirable growth, and excludes trees, ornamental shrubbery and gardens that are purposely planted and kept free of nuisance, cultivated crops, and undisturbed woodland. The page does not mention bamboo by name. Weed season runs March 1 to November 30, and a citation is the only warning that season. For Roanoke County, Salem, Vinton, or Botetourt, ask that locality's code enforcement office whether it has adopted a running bamboo ordinance before assuming one applies. See our City of Roanoke tree removal rules and Roanoke County tree removal rules guides.
When the bamboo is your neighbor's
Maryland Extension says that if bamboo comes from a colony next door, you cannot remove it entirely without the neighbor's cooperation, so plan on yearly containment: knock over spring shoots and trench along your side to expose and cut rhizomes. Alabama Extension says connected bamboo can resupply a treated area, so it suggests trenching when full control is not possible. Fairfax County's page says that under its ordinance an owner must contain bamboo on their own land but is not required to treat areas it has already reached. Start with a conversation and photos. Our Virginia tree laws at the property line guide covers encroaching roots.
Digging safely
Virginia 811 says homeowners must contact it for all digging projects at least 3 working days before work starts, that marking is free, and that a hired contractor is responsible for making the call. Both Maryland and Alabama Extension warn that birds such as starlings can roost in bamboo, and their droppings may carry diseases, so wear a mask and gloves under a roost. Maryland Extension suggests checking permit needs before excavating a large patch. In Roanoke County and nearby counties, large disturbed areas can trigger a land-disturbance permit; see the thresholds in our land clearing cost guide.
Disposal and what to plant next
The Piedmont Master Gardeners say to remove all bamboo material, drying canes for stakes or taking them to a landfill that accepts bamboo; Maryland Extension says to ask the landfill first. Curbside brush programs in the city and county exclude material cut by a paid crew, as our Roanoke brush pickup guide explains, so get haul-away priced into the quote. For the bare ground left behind, both Maryland Extension and the Piedmont Master Gardeners suggest native evergreens, shrubs, or grasses for a new screen.
Get a bamboo removal quote
Measure the grove roughly and photograph the edges and any spot where shoots cross a fence. Tell each crew whether a mini-excavator can reach it, if the goal is removal or containment, and if canes should be hauled. Ask for follow-up shoot cutting in writing. Call (540) 904-1819 or use the form, and we will pass your request to an independent local crew. Related: land and lot clearing and tree of heaven removal in Virginia.
Common questions
How much does bamboo removal cost?
Angi's national figures put the average near $875, with most jobs between $450 and $1,300. A local crew prices the actual grove.
Is running bamboo illegal in Virginia?
Not statewide. Va. Code 15.2-901.1 lets each locality require owners to contain running bamboo and keep it from spreading onto neighboring land or a public right-of-way.
What is the fine for spreading bamboo in Virginia?
Where a locality has adopted an ordinance under Va. Code 15.2-901.1, fines are up to $50 for a first violation and up to $200 for later ones, capped at $3,000 in 12 months.
Will bamboo grow back after it is cut?
Usually. Alabama Extension says the whole rhizome system must be destroyed for full control, and any rhizome left in the soil can resprout.
How deep should a bamboo barrier go?
Fairfax County recommends a 36-inch barrier with about 30 inches below ground and 6 inches above. Alabama Extension says barriers must go at least 2 feet deep.
My neighbor's bamboo is spreading into my yard. What can I do?
Maryland Extension says you cannot remove it entirely without the neighbor's cooperation, so contain it with a trench and by cutting shoots, and ask your locality about an ordinance.
Sources
- Angi, bamboo removal cost (national, updated Sep 30, 2026) (Checked Oct 15, 2026)
- Code of Virginia § 15.2-901.1, control of running bamboo (Checked Oct 15, 2026)
- Code of Virginia § 15.2-901, grass, weeds, and running bamboo (Checked Oct 15, 2026)
- City of Roanoke, Weed & Trash Violations (Checked Oct 15, 2026)
- Fairfax County, Running Bamboo (Checked Oct 15, 2026)
- Virginia DCR, Invasive Plant Species List, Sept 2024 (PDF) (Checked Oct 15, 2026)
- Alabama Extension, Bamboo Growth and Control, FOR-2088 (PDF) (Checked Oct 15, 2026)
- University of Maryland Extension, Containing and Removing Bamboo (Checked Oct 15, 2026)
- Piedmont Master Gardeners, Eradicating Bamboo (Checked Oct 15, 2026)
- Virginia 811, Homeowners FAQ (Checked Oct 15, 2026)