Care of Lucky Bamboo | Lucky Bamboo FAQS and FACTS

Following are some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) directed to Esprit de Isle and our factual reply. Please feel free to add your two bits if you wish to elaborate on any of the subjects, or to make an inquiry of your own. We strive to respond quickly and completely. Address your email to esprit@espritdeisle.com. You may find the answers you need by reading the following Frequently Asked Questions or click on Care of Lucky Bamboo. (Updated May 2, 2007) Note: Several readers have sent photos of their Lucky Bamboo. I will be publishing a "Reader's Photo Page" soon. Send yours!

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?:

Q: I have a lucky bamboo plant that I have had for a little more than a year now. It has several stalks which have produced leaves that have more than tripled the height of the plant since I got it. (At this point, the stalks are about 6" high, which the leaves reach up to 32"!)

I have read in several places that I should prune the plant, but I am not finding a lot of details on how to go about that. How much should I prune it back? When instructed to cut at the 'leaf bract' what exactly does that mean? What will the leafy part look like if it continues to grow after pruning (so that I can tell if it is doing well)? I have also read about trimming roots. Can you describe how to do that? How much should I trim off?

I am nervous about pruning since the plant (except for the stalk described below) seems so happy and I'd prefer not to kill it by pruning it.

Also, one of the stalks has not done so well--its leaves have reached a few inches beyond the stalk itself. The top of the stalk and some of its leaves have started to yellow--what should I do about that? - Kyla

A: Kyla sent photos.

The photos really help. You have some very lovely and healthy stems here and one problem child.

Addressing the top-heavy crowns:

1.    If you prune them part-way down, the new growth will begin at the bract closest to the cut.

2.    The new growth may adversely affect the overall appearance of the arrangement and cause it to be top-heavy, so you really don’t accomplish what you hope to.

3.    I would clip the crowns (or new green stalks) about two inches or less from where they emerge from the original stalks in order to encourage growth closer to those stalks.

4.    Soon, you should see the new shoots growing to replace those you have removed.

Take the stems that you have removed and place them in a glass with water. They will root quickly and when the roots are 1-3” long, you may place them into a fresh lucky bamboo pot, holding them in place with gravel or whatever medium you choose.

At this point, you may again cut the long, leafy stems just about any length you wish; allow the cut to dry, then drop a small amount of melted paraffin directly on the cut – make sure it is not too hot – just warm enough to still be liquid, covering all of the fresh cut. (The best way to do this is to turn the stem upside down and dip it quickly into the warm wax being careful to only cover the cut area and about 1/8” of the stem.) That keeps bacteria from entering the “injury” and causing crown or stem rot. Again, you should notice new shoots at the leaf bracts.

Addressing the yellowing leaves and the yellowing stem:

1.    I’m afraid this one is a goner. You should immediately remove it from the arrangement as its decay may adversely affect the rest of your healthy plants.

2.    You may attempt to root the sprout that looks the healthiest in the same way I describe rooting the stems, above.

It looks to me like you will soon have some healthy growing Lucky Bamboo stems to replace the one you must remove. You will also have some lovely new plants to keep or to share.

There could be a couple of reasons why the one stem seems to be dying.

1.    It could be an age thing. There’s no way of telling how old the stems are when they are purchased and they do have a life span.

2.    It also looks like there’s a small injury on the top of that stem which could have allowed bacteria to enter.

3.    In either case, the stem needs to be removed from the arrangement. It spoils the appearance of the arrangement and the decay or bacteria could spread to the rest of your plants.

Good luck! Esprit

"BROKEN" HEART BAMBOO:

Q: My lucky bamboo appears to be dying. It is a heart shaped one and the main stem has gone yellow and is slowly traveling up to the top. There are numerous little off shoots at the top that appear to be ok at the moment. I have read your information and know where I have gone wrong with (leaflet that came with it just said add a little water occasionally). Is there a way to propagate the shoots and try to save it or just throw it out and buy another. I live in Sydney Australia so they are readily available. Hope you can help. Pamela

A: Hi, Pamela. Actually, if you cut the shoots off from the main stem and put them in water, you should be rewarded with new shoots within a short time. Then you may "plant" the shoot in a small pot, anchoring it with gravel or glass marbles, keeping the water level consistent with the top of the gravel. Depending on the height of the shoots, the pot will need to be deep enough to be able to anchor the shoots to keep them from toppling over, although you only need water to cover about 1.5 - 3 inches of the stem to encourage root growth. You probably know that, without training, the shoots will just continue to grow upwards. You may, however, develop pretty plants by choosing to prune the stem somewhere near the top and allow new off-shoots to grow. This plant is actually quite self-perpetuating as you may continue to root new plants from the crown of the shoots. If you've read the descriptions from Esprit's web site, you'll see how it grows in its natural environment. It is part of the process for older stems to wither and die but new shoots ensure that the plant lives on.

TINY BUBBLES:

Q: I have some bamboo that has green material (algae?) growing on some of the roots with little air bubbles at the ends, what do I need to do to clean my rocks and plant from the invader? Thank You, Nicole

A: Sorry to hear about the little slimy problem with your bamboo roots. Unwanted growth of algae has three common sources:

Lack of light
Lack of water flow
Stagnant water

Since we don’t recommend that Lucky Bamboo (dracaena sanderana, related to the tropical water lily) be exposed to direct sunlight, algae can be a problem. It doesn’t seem to hurt the plant but it is unattractive and the stagnant water may have an odor.

I think the little bubbles you notice are actually a form of fermentation cause by vegetative decay – probably of the algae. lgae.

Addressing my comment about the lack of water flow/current: in its natural habitat which is freshwater ponds and eddies, there would be some evidence of flowing water which helps prevent algae from settling and keeps the water from stagnating. This is not to say there are NO algae in that environment because there might be a lot at various times of the season. However, if the pool or, in your case, the pot is stagnant for too long, the water will be come unable to support healthy, desirable plant life.

My suggestion is to remove the stems from the water and run fresh tap water through the roots. You may gently massage the roots between your fingers as the water flows through until they look clean. Then set them in a glass of clear water while you clean the pot and the stones.

Put the stones in a colander and sprinkle them liberally with table salt; let sit while you clean the pot.

Do not use soap or dish detergent in your pot or on the stones. If the pot looks dirty or scummy, using a generous sprinkle of table salt, scour the pot with your fingers until it is squeaky clean. Rinse it well with fresh cool water until you are sure there is no salt residue remaining.

Then vigorously agitate the rocks with the salt still on them. Use your hands and really mix it up – add more salt if you wish as salt has cleansing, antiseptic properties and helps kill unwanted bacterium. Let tap water flow through the rocks while you continue to stir them with your hands. When you are satisfied that you’ve done as much as you can, run more water through the stones or fill the sink with water and “douse” the rocks and the colander up and down several times ending with a final rinse of clean water.

Does this sound like a lot of work? It isn’t and it goes quite quickly. Just spend about a minute cleaning the roots, and two or three minutes on the rocks.

Replace everything in the pot – stems and rocks, then use bottled water to refill the pot. Make a habit of REPLACING the water in the pot weekly and do a quick cleaning of the rocks and pot. Don’t just add water as the level goes down.

I think you won’t find the algae returning if you just take these simple steps. If it does, don’t let it become a problem before you repeat the cleaning process. It might be that you will need to toss out the rocks and the pot and start fresh. The plant does not cause the algae – conditions do.

A YELLOW STREAK OF LEAVES:

Q: I have a lucky bamboo plant which has three leaves on the stalk turning yellow. Is it ok to prune the leaves off of the stalk or will this cause the stalk to die? Or should I do something else to prevent the stalk from dieing? All the other leaves look healthy. I water every other day and try to clean out the container bi-weekly. Is it possibly to replant? Right now it’s in a very small cup like container which has gravel in the bottom. I can send you photos if needed. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Sincerely, Ryan L

A: I welcome photos, Ryan. They help me assess the problem more accurately. Without knowing how tall your stalks are, you probably see circles around the stalks at intervals. These are actually scars or "leaf bracts" where leaves sprouted on the stalks. Therefore, if the yellow leaves are lower on the stalk, it is probably safe to assume this is a normal process and you may simply snip the leaves off, very close to where they join the stalk.

You may replace the container as you wish but try to keep the level where the stalks are submerged in water basically the same. Remember, these are an aquatic plant and they do have a lifespan. For further information, please read all three pages of FAQS on my web site. There's tons of free information about all kinds of plants and you'll probably find many helpful tips.

NOTE: Ryan sent a photo; see Ryan's Bamboo

A: First, the size of the pot and the rest of the stalks look fine. I don’t think I’d change it. The yellowing leaves are in the crown or center of the growth on the one stem, right? It’s possibly caused by “red spider mites” as they like a dry, warm environment and will suck the juice right out of the tender young leaves. If that’s what it is, they haven’t spread to the other stems – at least, it doesn’t show in the photos.

    To avoid spider mite infestation, give your plants a quick misting once a week right into the center of the growth so that a little water actually collects in the crown. That’s usually enough to send them packing.

    However, from what I’m looking at, it could be a “crown rot” type of condition. In that case, I would prune that growth back to about an inch from the main stalk and – oh, dear! You’ll have to just throw the infected crown away. Sort of a “tough love” remedy but plants with this condition rarely – if ever – recover from the damage.

    The good thing is that a new sprout will come out of the stem that you have pruned – hopefully, close to the original stalk making it a stronger shoot rather than spindly.

    Since it would be difficult for you to “seal” the wound where you have cut off the affected growth, I suggest you use a small piece of Scotch tape and just lay it gently on the cut surface, pressing it onto the stem – that’s to prevent mold and mildew spoors (which are ever present) from settling on the wet surface and causing further damage. If you had the ability, I usually suggest covering the cut surface with warm paraffin to seal it. There are also some commercial preparations for that purpose but you’d probably have to buy a lot and it’s usually intended for pruning trees. You might check with a garden store, though.

    The new sprout should appear rather quickly – 2-3 weeks.

I’m a little concerned about the paleness of the growth on the other stems – that can be caused by a little too much shade. You might try changing the location of the plant and leaving it in an area where it receives more direct light from the window – for a week or two, then returning it where it was. They do well in filtered sunlight with a boost of liquid fertilizer formulated to promote green leaves and healthy foliage. Good luck! Esprit

MY CROWN IS YELLOW!:

Q: I've seen information on the roots turning yellow, but the top part of my plant (not the leaves) seems to be turning yellow. I have 2 plants. One grows in a circle around the other. When I had it at work it grew beautifully, but I brought it home about 6 months ago and the part that grows in a circle is turning yellow at the top 2". What is causing this? And should I cut the yellow part off? Barb

A: Without seeing a photo of the plant, I'm not sure that you mean the crown at the center of the leaves, or the stem that supports the crown. In either case, it sounds like the stem is withering and dying. I would cut the top of the stem, just below where the leaves grow, and root that in water. Then, I would cut the remaining stem just above the next healthy looking "ring" or leaf bract, leaving the roots in water. It's possible that new growth will start from the leaf bract but you might also be cutting off the curled part of the stem. That cannot be helped and the curl in the stem is not natural. It is forced under specific circumstances. (See About Lucky Bamboo.) When trimming Lucky Bamboo, always place the cut away stem in water. Often you are rewarded with tiny roots that you may transplant into a pot for a whole new plant! Good luck.

FROSTBITE ISN'T LUCKY!:

Q: I recently had a Lucky Bamboo arrangement delivered to me here at work. Unfortunately, they delivered it on one of the coldest Colorado days we have ever had (below zero) and it was not very well protected. I think it got frost-bitten, the leaves are curling and turning brown. The stalks look ok. Is there a way I can save it? Or is it a lost cause. Thanks for your time! April

A: It's certainly possible to have suffered cold-shock, April. I would keep it in a rather cool room rather than give it a warm exposure right away - no direct sunlight (rather like treating hypothermia in people). Lucky Bamboo is actually from a tropical water lily family and they do not survive temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. I'd just make sure it has fresh water, changed weekly for about a month, including 1 drop of liquid fertilizer per stem per month. use a fertilizer that promotes healthy foliage rather than growth. As long as the stem looks healthy and does not begin to wither (wrinkle) and change color, you have a chance for a new sprout to form. You might also prune the currently leafy crown back almost to where it joins the main stalk. Yes, you will be cutting away a lot of the pretty growth but new leaves may grow in place IF the cold temperatures did not do too much damage. If you want to send me a digital photo, I'd have a better idea of how you might help your plant. Thanks for writing!

CUT BAMBOO NOT LOOKING LUCKY:

Q: I wanted to use a particular dish and the curly bamboo was too tall. Without researching first, I cut off a few inches above the roots and placed in water with rocks, one stalk with roots has died (I was hoping they would sprout) and the curly stalks seem to be doing fine, but no root growth has shown yet, it has been about a month. Will they sprout new roots, or have I ruined them? Gina

A: New roots typically form from the ring around the stalk, called the “leaf bract”. They will come directly out of the ring, a little above or a little below. Make sure there is water above the bottom leaf bract at all times. As long as the stalks are healthy looking and the leaves are green, you probably need just a little more patience before it roots.

When you purchase Lucky Bamboo, it’s a good idea to allow it to become used to its new environment and the atmosphere of your home (humidity, light, etc.) before performing any major operations on the stalks. If you’ll read all of my FAQs, you’ll find a lot of information about how it grows, why it has certain characteristics, and how to keep it healthy. Some things are beyond your control, however, because you have no way of knowing how old the stems are when you buy them. Age matters.

When making a purchase, look for the freshest green stalks with unblemished leaves, nice green stems and a healthy looking root cluster. Allowing your current plant to sit where it is without bothering it for a month or so, you should be rewarded with root growth. That is not to say that you should not change the water weekly, or add to the water to maintain the proper level. Please consider using bottled water for your Lucky Bamboo if you are on a city water system – it contains chemical additives.

ARE BIG PLANTS OLD PLANTS?:

Q: We have purchased 75 small lucky bamboo and have been asked by our customer if they are old, as the shoots are tall. Is this a sign of older bamboo for the shoots to be tall? Is it healthy to have tall shoots? Robin

A: Thanks for your excellent question!

It’s difficult to tell the age of the stalks. However, if they are a nice, healthy-looking green without blemishes and if the leaves look lush with a nice green color, no doubt they are in their prime.

If you look at the digital photo on this page, the third one down on the left, you’ll see one of my personal arrangements. I purchased the stems in 1999 and arranged them in a tall, clear glass vase. The stems are held upright in a tempered hurricane lamp. The vase is 14 inches tall; the stems are 14-18” and the shoots are 12”+. I used clear and blue tinted florists’ decorative marbles and built it up to the level that I wanted to display the stems. The arrangement is wired together with green florist wire. To date, I have lost only one stem. The rest are growing well but there has been some leaf loss on the shoots so they are not as lush as they might be.

I think the healthy growth you describe is more a matter of ideal growing conditions. I hope you can maintain the environment. Please read all the information on care of Lucky Bamboo as well as the FAQS pages for more information and for answers to similar questions. Remember to mist lightly once a week and use bottled water for them to grow in.

ARE LUCKY BAMBOO PLANTS POISONOUS?:

Q: I work in a child development center and would like to know if bamboo plants are considered poisonous. Linda

A: Thank you for your question, Linda. Remember, Lucky Bamboo is not the true bamboo that Pandas eat; it is a member of the water lily family.

Please check www.wfrw.org/faqs-and-facts.htm. You will find that the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has Lucky Bamboo (Draecaena sanderiana) on their list of plants that are toxic to animals, particularly cats. From my experience, my cat chews on the leaves and has not exhibited any signs of stomach distress.

The Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, sponsored by the US Army, does not consider the plant poisonous to humans. (www.wfrw.org/faqs-and-facts-page-2.htm)

I had heard a story about non-English speaking persons buying the stalks and then cooking them like asparagus to eat.

I have never heard of anyone actually eating the plants and becoming ill. There are classroom examples also listed in my FAQS pages where teachers have incorporated the plants into aquariums.

If there is a danger that the children in your setting might experiment with the leaves, I could not say for certain that it would not cause any ill effects. If so, they would probably be more along the lines of stomach upset. I have a six year old Autistic grandson and he is constantly pinching leaves from my houseplants, biting them and spitting them back out. So far, he has survived the jade plant, ferns, and hibiscus leaves. I keep my Lucky Bamboo well out of reach when he is there because they are in glass containers which would be easy to knock over and break.

MY PLANT STINKS!:

Q: My Bamboo plant stinks like rotten eggs. Can you tell me why and what to do about that? Jeriann.

A: It probably is NOT your bamboo that has the odor, but more likely the water is the source of the smell. Try taking the bamboo plant out of the container and giving the pot a thorough scrubbing, including the rocks, marbles or whatever it is you use to hold your bamboo in place. Clean the pot by rubbing rock salt on the surface with your fingers, then running lots of rinse water through it. Same with the gravel. Place the gravel or marbles in a colander and agitate it while the clean water runs through it. Again, I recommend that you use bottled, purified water for your lucky bamboo rather than tap water. Some water, natural well water especially, contains manganese which is naturally found in well water. It does smell like rotten eggs. I think if you use bottled water, the odor will go away.

IS LUCKY BAMBOO STILL LUCKY IF YOU BUY IT FOR YOURSELF?:

Q: Someone told me it’s bad luck to buy lucky bamboo for yourself. Is this true? Thank you and have a great day! Clarissa

A: It is absolutely NOT bad luck to buy a Lucky Bamboo for yourself! The theory behind Lucky Bamboo relates directly to the science and art of Feng Shui. The plant known as Lucky Bamboo, when in an appropriate pot, contains symbols of all five of the necessary elements to a happy life: fire, earth, water, metal, and wood. Therefore, the Lucky Bamboo arrangement constitutes the principle of Feng Shui and is not a mystic good luck charm. (Consider the “lucky” rabbit’s foot – not lucky for the rabbit at all!)

“Lucky” Bamboo is called “lucky” because it embodies the elements of basic Feng Shui to bring harmony to the home and its owner – you. Therefore, you may purchase as many stems or arrangements as you want – the more, the merrier – for yourself. Enjoy!

BAMBOO IS OLD AND YELLOW:

Q: I have a stem of curly bamboo. I have had it for about 5 years. I also have fish in a tank on my kitchen counter. When changing the tank water I was advised to use the old water I removed from the tank for my plants because the nutrients would benefit the plants. I have added "fish water" to my curly bamboo once about two weeks ago. Now the stem is very yellow and it will not support the weight of the plant. Help! I would like to revive my plant but have no idea how to go about it. Sara

A: I suspect that the original stem is simply at the end of its lifespan. In its natural environment, the stalks grow top heavy from the crowns and bend down, touching moist soil or water. The new roots sprout where the leaves attach to the stalk and a new plant shoots up. The old stalk then turns yellow and rots.

You should be able to root the crown just by cutting it from the yellowing stalk and putting it into a glass of water.

Once the stem or stalk turns yellow and withers, it cannot be rejuvenated.

Sorry I can't be of more help but that is simply the nature of the plant. And, when you buy or receive the plant, you have no way of knowing its age. I think that five years is a nice, healthy life span. Thanks for writing!

CAN LUCKY BAMBOO BE PLANTED OUTDOORS?:

Q: Hi, I have a tall bamboo plant inside. My question is, if I plant it outside will it grow into a very tall tree? Or are the bamboo trees I see in yards, something different? Thank you, Kim

A: I am assuming that the tall bamboo plant you have inside is of the type referred to as “Lucky Bamboo”. If so, it is not a true bamboo, which is of the grass family, but rather a dracaena which is a tropical water lily.

Since I don’t know where you live, I cannot tell for sure if your bamboo would succumb to temperatures lower than 50 degrees at any given time. If you live in the tropics, it might survive outside with adequate humidity and water.

The outdoor variety (grass/woody bamboo) does quite well outside and in fact can be a nuisance as it spreads underground and is invasive.

However, Lucky Bamboo is quite fragile in the North American outdoor climate. It will not survive.

If you read through my web site, you’ll find a lot of information about the Lucky Bamboo, or tropical water lily, and how to keep it green and growing.

Lucky Bamboo can be planted in soil as long as it remains in the house and protected from temperatures below 50 degrees.

NOTE: Kim replied that she lives in Florida and is interested in the outdoor variety of bamboo. Here is further information plus a valuable tip for controlling bamboo from spreading where it isn't wanted.

Probably most outdoor plant nurseries have the outdoor bamboo you are looking for.A very popular outdoor bamboo is simply called “black bamboo” – my son-in-law planted them inside their back fence to shield the children’s play yard and make it more private. Because they spread quickly by root, underground, Scott cut the bottoms out of five gallon plastic buckets, dug holes large enough to hold the buckets and then planted the bamboo in topsoil inside the buckets. Within a couple of years, they have total privacy in the back yard and it’s simply beautiful to behold.

I live on Whidbey Island a little north of Seattle. The other day, I was on the mainland driving over to Eastern Washington. I saw a forest of leaves that was breathtaking in its beauty – tall, strong, fernlike foliage. I wondered what the trees were until I saw a sign that said “Bamboo Forest”. I don’t blame you for wanting to plant bamboo – it requires little care and is very hardy.

You might also check on eBay or do a Google search for “outdoor bamboo”. I think the mail order plants are probably cheaper than those in nurseries.

ORCHIDS - POISONOUS OR NOT?:

Q: I understand that orchids are on your current list of poisonous plants for pets - however, there are other websites that say they aren't poisonous. I don't know "what" to believe at this point. You list orchids as being poisonous, but there's no explanation as to why. Can you please give me some facts? Thanks. Leonarda

A: Thank you for your question, Leonarda. It's true that many sources do not list orchids as being specifically toxic to pets. However, my personal observation concludes that there are some toxicity symptoms when cats ingest orchid leaves. They do a lot of salivating and drooling after chomping on the leaves of cattelya orchids. I do not believe it would cause death, unless ingested in large quantity.

Cats are more prone to nibbling on houseplant leaves when they do not have access to grass which helps their digestive system pass hairballs through their system. It's a good idea to keep a small clump of regular outdoor grass available to your housecat! It keeps them away from sampling leaves.

Hope you find this helpful, Leonarda. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you can, keep houseplants out of reach of your pets. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me. Also, see the following comment.

LUCKY BAMBOO IS NOT LUCKY FOR PETS!

Comment from Susan, a reader: I noticed a question about toxicity of Lucky Bamboo and cats. Your answer referred to an Army-sponsored database saying the plant was not known to be toxic to humans or animals. I find many lists on the Internet that list lucky bamboo/ribbon plant (Dracaena sanderiana) as being toxic to cats. Please check this URL: www.aspca.org

Esprit sent a query to the referenced web site and received this reply: Thank you for contacting the ASPCA Animal Poison control Center. Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) belongs to the Agavaceae family. Members of this family can potentially produce vomiting (occasionally tinged with blood), depression, weakness, drooling, loss of appetite and uncoordination. In cats, abdominal pain, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing and elevated heart rate have also been reported. based on this information, it is advisable to keep this plant out of the reach of pets. s/s Dana B. Farbman, CVT, Senior Manager, Client and Professional relations, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (University of Illinois Allied Agency)

Esprit's FAQs and FACTs - Page 1 of 3