Information on Lucky Bamboo

Lucky bamboo plants are beautiful and low maintenance.

Consumers, captivated by lucky bamboo's versatility and beauty, have helped the plant to become a common fixture in most gardening and metaphysical stores. The plant grows extremely quickly and as such, it has become a symbol of luck and good wishes. By creating intricate and ornamental arrangements with lucky bamboo stalks, the plant is not only aesthetically pleasing but also symbolically important.

Origins

Although lucky bamboo is quite similar in appearance to bamboo, it is actually a member of the lily family and is properly known as Dracaena sanderiana. Found in the tropical areas of west Africa and southeast Asia, lucky bamboo has developed a reputation for bringing good luck to those who receive it as a gift. In China, the plant is called "fu gwey zhu," which literally translates to "wealth power bamboo."

Choosing Lucky Bamboo

As with most house plants, it is very important to carefully examine lucky bamboo before purchasing it. Healthy lucky bamboo has a bright green stalk and leaves that are not yellowed, wilted, or bruised. Most lucky bamboo stalks are grown hydroponically and sold with a container or vase. The container should be half full of water and the bamboo should not show any signs of dehydration, like splitting or dried out stalks and leaves. A healthy lucky bamboo will also have some roots visible at the bottom of the container.

Caring for Lucky Bamboo

Lucky bamboo is often touted as one of the easiest house plants to raise. As direct sunlight is too harsh for the plant, it should be kept in a warm area where it receives some indirect sunlight. If the lucky bamboo has been grown hydroponically, the water in the container should be changed out every five to seven days. However, filtered water is the best choice as the fluoride and other chemicals found in tap water can be damaging to lucky bamboo. If the lucky bamboo has been grown in soil, the soil should be kept moist with filtered water.

Training Lucky Bamboo

Gardening stores frequently sell lucky bamboo arrangements that boast curled or even braided bamboo stalks. This is relatively easy to accomplish, but the end result can take years. To train lucky bamboo, place the plant in an area where the indirect sunlight is coming in from a single point. The stalk will eventually bend toward the source of the light. Once it is evident that the stalk has bent, rotate the altered lucky bamboo stalk away from the light just a little. Repeat the process when another bend in the stalk is apparent. Because the lucky bamboo will continue to grow toward the source of the light, the curled stalk will continue as long as the rotating process is maintained.

Feng Shui with Lucky Bamboo

Feng shui, the Chinese art of aesthetics and design, utilizes lucky bamboo as a way to increase and revitalize energy flow. Lucky bamboo is also a representation of the harmony of the five elements: earth, water, wood, metal and fire. The elements of earth, in the form of stones or pebbles, water and wood, as represented by the lucky bamboo stalk, are within the plant's container. Metal, in the form of feng shui coins, is frequently added to the lucky bamboo container, as are red ribbons or ornaments, which symbolize fire.

References

• Master Gardener Article: Lucky or Curly Bamboo
• Lucky Bamboo: Feng Shui Tips for Lucky Bamboo
• Plant-Care: Lucky Bamboo
• Winnipeg Flowers: Lucky Bamboo Care