9 Bamboo Alternatives for Your Home Garden Screens

Like many gardeners, I love the look of bamboo and the efficiency with which it creates a privacy screen in a space. Many people turn to this plant as a screen for its ease of care and extra-fast growth. However, most types, and in particular, the running types, are invasive in many places and can create a problem when they outgrow their allotted real estate. 

There is also the neighbor factor. While it may look like you’re creating a visually pleasing privacy screen, your neighbors may not appreciate it when that screen grows beyond its intended confines and continues to encroach on their property. There are even legal ramifications to planting it in some places! 

All bamboo is not invasive in all places, but it’s important to identify the differences, which we will get to. In the meantime, here are some great bamboo alternatives that you can use to create a privacy screen in your space. 

Switchgrass ‘Heavy Metal’

	botanical name Panicum virgatum ‘ Heavy Metal’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2.5’-5’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Switchgrass is an excellent alternative for that bamboo screen. It’s tall—up to five feet—and has a similar, linear appearance. It’s also native to much of the United States east of the Rockies. It’s a prairie grass that spreads slowly by underground rhizomes that travel in all directions. 

If you’re looking for an erosion control, switchgrass is excellent for this purpose. Its deep roots will hold your soil in place nicely. ‘Heavy Metal’ is a stunning variety that produces tons of tiny pink flowers in the summer, and then changes to bold orange gold tones in the fall. It’s adaptable when it comes to its environment, and even grows in areas with poor drainage. 

Common Rush

	botanical name Juncus effusus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-4’
	hardiness zones 1-11

If you’re looking for a plant that tolerate boggy soil, common rush is a great option. This clumping evergreen has an attractive, upright growth habit, and creates linear interest in the landscape. It grows up to four feet tall, which isn’t quite as tall as most types of bamboo, but it’s very low maintenance and practically pest and diseases free. 

If you want to set it and forget it, common rush is the perfect native plant for your areas with moist soil. In warm areas, it remains green year-round. In cold climates, the green foliage turns yellow in the fall. It looks beautiful in water gardens and is perfect for framing a pond or other body of water. 

Big Bluestem ‘Indian Warrior’

	botanical name Andropogon gerardii ‘Indian Warrior’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 5’-6’
	hardiness zones 3-9

On the flip side, if you need something with excellent drought tolerance, big bluestem is the perfect bamboo screen alternative. This tall, elegant grass has the linear appeal of bamboo without the invasive potential. Make sure that you don’t confuse this with yellow bluestem, which is not native. Big bluestem is native to much of the United States, and though it is vigorous, it will be harmonious in most landscapes. 

‘Indian Warrior’ is a taller grass, which makes it perfect for creating privacy. It naturalizes nicely and looks great in a meadow or prairie-type setting. The tall foliage is a deep burgundy to purple color and matches the flowers, which appear in late summer. This is a grass, so like others, the flowers are not individually noteworthy, but the sprays are pretty and interesting in the landscape. 

Indian Grass

	botanical name Sorghastrum nutans
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3’-5’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Another North American native grass, Indian grass is and attractive, clump forming plant with blue-green foliage. In summer and fall, it produces large, feathery plumes of flowers with bright yellow stamens. They’re quite tall and dry nicely, making them great for dried arrangements. 

Indian grass is drought tolerant, so it’s great for spots you might forget to water. It likes plenty of light, and tolerates a wide range of soil types. It’s not overly concerned with nutrient availability, and is a great erosion control plant. There are few pest or diseases issues with Indian grass. 

Fargesia ‘Campbell’

	botanical name Fargesia robusta ‘Campbell’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 10’-15’
	hardiness zones 7-9

I mentioned that not all bamboos are invasive, so if you’ve just got to have that true bamboo look, try a Fargesia species. These are true bamboos, but rather than putting out runners that invade your neighbor’s yard and travel farther by the day, they have a clumping habit. There is a wide range of heights. I have one that is about 25 feet tall, while others may top out around ten feet. 

Fargesia will grow to a certain width at maturity, and then stay relatively the same size. For some varieties that may be four feet, for others it can be ten. Make sure that you choose a variety that suits your space. ‘Campbell’ is striking with deep, blue-green stems that have white culm sheaths. It’s dramatic and beautiful.

Formosa Firethorn ‘Victory’

	botanical name Pyracantha koidzumii ‘Victory’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 8’-10’
	hardiness zones 7-9

Formosa firethorn has a different look from bamboo, but it will do a great job of creating that alternative privacy screen you’re looking for. It’s evergreen, with dense, glossy foliage, and has a wonderful blooming habit. Large clusters of white flowers bloom on gracefully arching branches in early summer. They’re followed by bright red berries that stick around into winter. 

New foliage is bronze, adding another season of interest in the spring. This plant has thorns, so it’s good for keeping people and animals in or out. ‘Victory’ is a large cultivar that reaches about ten feet tall. It spreads to a similar width, and a row of these creates a stunning effect. 

Red Chokeberry

	botanical name Aronia arbutifolia
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5’-12’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Red chokeberry has a similar appeal to Formosa, with semi-evergreen foliage and brilliant berries. In spring, it blooms profusely with small white flowers that provide a good early food source for pollinators. Bumblebees, in particular, are fond of them. An abundance of red berries that resemble currants follow the flowers. 

Native to North America, red chokeberry is colony forming and has gorgeous fall colors. It has exfoliating bark, which, paired with the glowing berries, give this shrub winter appeal. If you’re a nature lover, this is a great plant to use for a screen. In addition to the flowers feeding pollinators, the berries are a great food source for many over-wintering birds. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb-j_VuHcV8

Mexican Fencepost Cactus

	botanical name Lophocereus marginatus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height Up to 20’
	hardiness zones 9-11

If you want a seriously cool, unique-looking screen and live in a warm, arid climate, Mexican fencepost cactus is striking and intriguing. Up to 20 feet tall and colony-forming, this is one unique and beautiful fence. Tall ribbed stems have spines along the ribs, making them great for keeping out anything you don’t want in your yard. 

Mexican fencepost cactus flowers in the spring with pink or green blooms. These give way to red, edible fruits that make nice preserves. The fruits drop their seeds, which is how colonies form. This doesn’t happen overnight, but it will become quite an eye-catching screen over time. It has excellent heat tolerance and is cold hardy to about 25°F (-4°C). 

Leyland Cypress

	botanical name Cupressus x leylandii
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 70’
	hardiness zones 6-10

For those spots that command an imposing privacy screen, Leyland Cypress is ideal. It’s a fast grower and makes an attractive and popular evergreen choice for creating privacy in the landscape. It has dense, lush foliage and grows in a neat conical shape. It’s a conifer and can grow at a rate of up to three feet per year in the first few years.