Wow, what a great community! Thanks for all your help folks!

Eric

Thanks for the information. I may have to swallow my fear of running bamboo and just do the best I can to make sure that it doesn't spread. I was really hoping for a low maintenance, visual barrier, but I guess that growing something that I can use to build and to eat, as well as providing a privacy...

Sorry to be the newbie. I searched the forum so as not to be that guy who restarts the same threads. I live in Salt Lake City on the valley floor at 7b hardiness at best. I want a bamboo that will create a thick, tall screen, but also be useful as timber and possibly for eating new shoots. I don't w...