Bamboo

That bit about the bamboo.  Obviously spoken by someone truly unfamiliar with the plant. Bamboo has the absolute root system from hell. The roots are as big around as my finger,  spread forever and are as tough as kevlar or carbon fiber.
In the course of digging up six plants I managed to break my shovel and garden trowel and render every muscle in my body as sore as if I had just gone 10 rounds with George Foreman.

Free isn't such a great price for bamboo.  I think now that $45.00 per gallon pot is not so bad after all.