Germany's Top Court Reviews Dispute Over Six-Meter Bamboo Hedge

The Federal Court of Justice is set to decide whether a towering bamboo hedge must be trimmed to comply with neighborly rights and property laws.

A six-meter-high bamboo hedge planted along a property boundary in Hesse has sparked a legal dispute between neighbors, now being reviewed by Germany's Federal Court of Justice (BGH).
The plaintiff demands the hedge be cut to three meters, arguing it causes visual obstruction and encroaches on his property during adverse weather conditions.
The case raises legal questions about the definition of a hedge, its maintenance requirements, and whether height impacts its classification under Hessian neighbor law.
The BGH is also examining where the hedge’s height should be measured, as the plaintiff’s property sits at a lower elevation than the defendant’s.
A decision is expected on March 28, but the court may remand the case to lower courts if further evidence on boundary compliance is required.