I found this on another forum: "some (bamboo) are invasive and some aren't. The aureosulcata (yellow with a green stripe) makes a tidy clump but gets very, very tall and makes great canes.
I have a black bamboo (phyllostacys nigra) that was growing under and pushing up through tarmac that now lives in a wooden container, I have a couple of varieties that I don't know the name of which regularly crack open the pots they live in, both plastic and terracotta.
I have a grey-ish one that spreads like wildfire ...I think is one of the fargesii, which I attack with an axe once a year.
Finally, I have a big lump of the four foot tall green thing, the name of which I have no idea, which sends runners out through a stone wall into the lawn and these spread to at least 30 feet. (They get mowed off)
be very, very careful if you don't have much room, but if you've got the rooom, get them all and have fun. Look out for the ones labelled construction/timber bamboos - they are great fun"
It's Not Easy Being Green :: View topic - Any tips on growing bamboo for canes?