The first thing you need to know is Clumping Bamboo IS NOT INVASIVE. Clumping bamboos are similar in growth habit to many shrubs. They grow gradually outward from the center with new canes growing taller and getting larger in diameter every year. The most important characteristic of clump bamboos is that, unlike running bamboos, they do not spread by sending underground shoots far away from the main plant. A clumping variety of bamboo is a safe and attractive plant to add to any landscape. For a privacy hedge, plant clumping bamboos anywhere from 4- to 10-feet apart. When planted 4- to 6-feet apart in enriched, irrigated soil, clumping varieties will form a solid hedge in just one growing season. If planted further apart, it will take a couple years longer. Either way, in a short time clumping bamboos form a tall, thick green border with towering canes that bend in the breeze.