Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is a very popular houseplant, being tough, easy to take care of and fine without direct sunlight.
In Chinese culture, it has a reputation for bringing luck and good fortune to people. It may look like a miniature version of a bamboo plant, but it is actually a completely different species called a dracaena.
The rewards your bamboo is supposed to bring depending on the number of stalks you have. Three stalks are the most common and traditionally bring happiness, wealth, and longevity, three things needed for a happy life.
Lucky Bamboo comes in straight and curved stalks. If you buy curved ones, don’t expect it to keep growing in a curve as the plant grows naturally straight. Farmers grow the curved stalks by covering three sides of the stalk in complete darkness and leave the other side exposed to bright light.
The plants grow naturally toward the light and are manually rotated by the farmers to get their wavy shape. It takes about a year and a half for one curl to grow.
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Not only will your bamboo not continue to curl, but it will also not grow any taller. The stalks receive a special treatment when they reach the desired shape and length. They will, however, grow leaves. The leaves are key to determining the health of your bamboo.
If they turn brown or yellow at the tips it means your plant is either receiving too much sunlight, or the water you’re using isn’t filtered. Fluoride and chlorine found in tap water aren’t good for Lucky Bamboo.
Taking care of Lucky Bamboo is easy. All you need to house your bamboo is a clear glass container, some decorative stones or gems, and water. Bamboo grows naturally in wet tropical rainforests so it is not used to a lot of sunlight.
The sunlight it does get should be as indirect as possible. Keep your bamboo in a few inches of fresh water, changing or adding to it weekly, or in soil that holds a lot of moisture. It is also recommended to add a drop of Green-Green fertilizer every time you change the water to give the bamboo the same nutrients found in nature.
If you keep your bamboo in fresh water and away from the direct heat you can expect to have this lucky plant for a long time. Whether it will really bring you luck, wealth and longevity I can’t say, but you will have a healthy green plant to bring life to any room.
