Care of Lucky Bamboo

Knowing how to take proper care of Lucky Bamboo results in a plant that is beautiful, strong and healthy.

Learn more about Lucky Bamboo meaning

A hearty and resilient plant, Lucky Bamboo requires little care to maintain its rich green color and lovely visual appeal. Although Lucky Bamboo has been popular with feng shui practitioners for decades, its popularity is rapidly spreading as more people embrace its symbolism of good luck, prosperity and success.

Actually, Lucky Bamboo is not bamboo at all. It is a member of the lily family called Dracaena sanderiana, native to the tropical rainforests of Africa and Southeast Asia.

A popular feng shui cure, Lucky Bamboo attracts auspicious chi helping it to flow freely through your home or workplace. Generally, the plant combines all five of the elements of feng shui and activates stagnant energy wherever it is placed.

Usually, Lucky Bamboo is grown hydroponically, but also grows well in soil. When growing a plant in water place small marbles, pebbles or stones in the container to give the stalks added stability.

Using filtered, bottled or rainwater for your Lucky Bamboo plant keeps the plant healthiest. This is because of the chemicals, such as fluoride and chlorine, found in most tap water. If you must use tap water and you know it has high levels of chlorine, keep it in a container on the counter for 24 hours before using it. This allows time for the chlorine in the water to evaporate. If your water is high in fluoride levels do not use it for your plant. Fluoride is toxic to Lucky Bamboo and it does not evaporate.

Add fresh, clean water to your bamboo plant two or three times each week. It is important to keep several inches of water in the container, making sure to keep the roots of the plant wet. Changing the water every seven to ten days keeps your Lucky Bamboo in top condition.

If you keep your bamboo plant in a vase, keep the water levels low. The roots of a Lucky Bamboo plant grow wherever it contacts water.

Indirect light at moderate levels is best for a Lucky Bamboo plant. Never place your plant on a sunny windowsill as the direct sunlight is too strong and the leaves will scorch. Preferring low light, Lucky Bamboo plants are even happy with artificial light from a lamp.

If the bamboo leaves are fading to a light green color, the plant is not getting enough light. Insufficient light also causes slow plant growth. In many cases, the plant will not grow in height or produce any new leaves. To remedy these problems, simply move the plant to a location with more indirect light.

The optimum temperature for a bamboo plant is between 65 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Lucky Bamboo plants may not survive in temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit and should never be placed in front of an air conditioner.

Just as direct sunlight should be avoided, extreme heat should also be avoided. Never place your plant near a heat source such as a heating vent or wood stove.

Lucky Bamboo plants grow well with occasional feedings of a diluted plant food solution. Since most Lucky Bamboo plants are grown in water, it is very important to use a well-diluted solution. Without soil to absorb the salts in the fertilizer, the delicate roots may burn if the solution is too strong.

Dilute the plant food solution to about one-tenth of the recommended strength and add it each time you change the water. This will keep your Lucky Bamboo healthy. If you prefer a small plant and want to slow the growth of your Lucky Bamboo, feed it the plant food solution less often.

A plant food called Green Green is popular with many growers of Lucky Bamboo plants. Others like to use a diluted solution of African violet plant food.

When you take good care of your Lucky Bamboo plant you are rewarded with a plant that attracts positive energy and adds beauty to your home.

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