Ask the Expert: Lucky Bamboo Plants,
My bamboo plants were placed in direct sunlight and the leaves burned.  Is there anyway to save the plants?? Linda

Plant Expert Reply:

Move your lucky bamboo into an area with bright light but no direct sunlight.  You can cut the leaves that have turned brown off, since the damage can not be reversed.  You might try misting the area around your lucky bamboo for a few days to encourage the new growth.  Then give the lucky bamboo time to recover.

Ask the Expert: Lucky Bamboo
I know you can restart new plants by cuttings, but I have a fairly large plant in water and not knowing about the water depth thing, the roots are tremendous.  Can I trim away some unneeded roots????  Candy

Plant Expert Reply:

Yes, you can trim excess roots from your lucky bamboo.  Just trim the roots the same way you do your hair from the ends back to the stalk.  I don’t trim the roots off completely.

Ask the Expert: I just recently got my Lucky Bamboo!I was reading some on the computer and they said that the roots are healthy when they are red. Mine are a light tan??? I got it that way I just have one stalk!! Is it better to leave it in water or plant it in soil or in pebbles? every site I read says all three work! And Mine is Yellowish on the top of the stem what does that mean? I’m about to go out of town and leave it with my friend so I need to get all the info I can so she doesn’t kill it!! Thanks SO Much Jadee

Plant Expert Reply:

Caring for lucky bamboo (Dracaena Sanderiana) is fairly simply.  With the right light and water, your lucky bamboo will basically take care of its self.

Let’s address your first question.  What color should the roots be? Older roots are ususally orange or rust colored.  Newer roots are white or cream in color.  Roots which are any of these colors are healthy.  However if your roots are black or slimy red, you have a problem.

Second question - what should lucky bamboo be planted in.  If it came to you in water leave it in water.  It is not necessary to add pebbles or rocks, but it won’t hurt to have them.  If your lucky bamboo came in soil, leave it in soil.  Lucky bamboo can grow in weither soil or water.  However, it doesn’t like to switch back and forth.

Third question - Yellowing top.  Lucky bamboo with yellowing at the top of the stalk can be a result of too much light, fertilizer or exposure to fluoride.  This kind of damage actually presents itself in the leaves of the stalk.  If the yellowing is on the stalk above where it has been cut, you have dieback.  Should the yellowing travel down the stem, the stalk will die.

Since you are new to lucky bamboo, I suggest reading our Caring for lucky Bamboo newsletter.  You can also find more question and answers about lucky bamboo in the blog.

Ask the Expert: lucky bamboo is putting out a nasty smell like dirty aquarium water.
i have had them @5 years and they are @4′ high, curly, and now some leaves are turning yellow, and 1 stalk is drying up
Location has not changed in 5 years and I change the water several times a year, now the water is turning black
THANKS Patti

Reply:

You are getting either a fungal, algae or bacteria build up.  Wash the container with hot soapy water and rinse thorughly. Fill with fresh distilled water. Wipe down all of your Dracaena sanderiana (lucky bamboo) and look for fungal lesions on the stalks. Remove any stalk that has any indication of disease.  If the lesions are only in one area and you have healthy stalks above or below the lesions, you can start a new plant.  I would not start the new plants in the same container.

Good luck and keep me posted.

Ask the Expert: How do I transplant
I bought a lucky Bamboo plant years ago. It came in a small glass jar, over the years it has grown extremly tall, now its 32 inches high with not many leaves near the bottom.I see the roots are growning like crazy. I just bought a 7″ square glass vase to repot it in. How can I get the leaves to grow near the bottom of the plant? And how do I transfer it to the glass vase? do I need potting soil? or just put all the roots and stones on the bottom of the vase?I really would hate to lose this plant. I would like it to fill out near the stalks. Cathy

Reply:

Transplanting lucky bamboo from one container filled with water to another container filled with water is fairly easy.  Clean your new container before you begin.  Now add your lucky bamboo stems and gently place the pebbles or rocks from the original container around them.  I suggest cleaning the pebbles before you place them in the new container.  You may need to add more pebbles.  Once you have the pebbles and stems in the new vase fill with water.  Try to keep about the same water level as you had in the original container.

As for leaves, lucky bamboo usually only has leaf growth from the top.  At this point the only way to get leaves on the bottom would be to cut the stem off at the point you want leaves and encourage new leaf growth.  The top that you cut off can be a start for a new plant.

You might want to read Turning Your Lucky Bamboo Into A New Plant.

Good Luck and keep me posted.

Ask The Expert: I just recieved a lucky bamboo from my daughter, I was wondering about the tie around the stalks do I leave it or remove it.How do i tell if I’m adding enough water my plant is the one with stones in the container. Tarrie

Reply:

As long as the ties are not binding into the stems, you can leave them.  People often add ribbon or ties to lucky bamboo (dracaena sanderiana) stalks for aesthetic reasons only.  In fact, golden or red ribbon is used to symbolize additional good fortune.

Water level should be at least a couple of inches. Make sure the roots are covered with water; add water to keep the water level constant. Every couple of weeks change the water completely. Refill the container with clean water. Lucky bamboo is sensitive to the salts and chemicals in tap water; use distilled water or rainwater if possible. If you must use tap water let it set in an open container over night; this will let the chlorine evaporate. However, there is no way to remove the fluoride from the tap water. Fluoride can cause leaf tips to turn brown. Low humidity can cause leaf tips to turn brown as well. Mist the leaves of the lucky bamboo every couple of days if lack of humidity is a problem.

Good Luck with your lucky bamboo and keep me posted.

Ask the Expert: lucky bamboo problems
I have a few questions about my “lucky bamboo” plant.

I received this plant nearly a year ago and had no problems when living in the tropics but since i have moved to a colder state i have been encountering problems. The plant originally had 3 stalks and was potted rather than being in water.

Firstly the leaves on the plant started turning yellow, i moved it from a window sill to my bathroom as i thought it may be getting to much sunlight. This didnt help, i then noticed one of the stalks starting to yellow as well as the tips of the leaves dyeing off after they had turned yellow. The stalk turned yellow became mushy and started growing these little black dots, i discarded this stalk but replanted the leaf stalk from it in potting mix. Will it grow or should i put it in water?

The remaining 2 stalks seem healthier although there are leaves that have yellowing or browned tips, is there any hope for these 2 stalks or will they continue to yellow and result in the stalk turning yellow and mushy as well?

I currently have the plant sitting in a lower light area and am watering with water thats been sitting out for 24 hours in case its something in the water.

Will cutting the leaf growths help? Should i take it out from the pot and keep it in water? HELP i dont want it to die!!

thanks

sarah jellie

Reply:
Your lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is going through transplant shock from the move. Anytime a plant is stressed, it is more susceptible to diseases and pests.

I think you have a couple of things going on. First the new water probably caused the initial yellowing leaves. The difference in light exposure from your old place to your new place may also be a factor. Those problems can be overcome. Place the lucky bamboo in light exposure that mimics the light exposure you used to have. As for water, you are doing just what you need to do.

If lucky bamboo is growing in soil it is best to keep it in soil. However, I would not place the cut bamboo stalk back into the original soil. I would either start it in water or give it the stalk its own pot with soil. You will need to keep the soil very moist until the roots form. The other stalks will not need this much moisture.

As for the leaves, remove all yellowing leaves. Then give your stalks time to recover. Good luck and keep me posted.

Ask the Expert: how to grow my lucky bamboos
I have searched your website and with the information that I could collect, I was able to cut the shoots of my lucky bamboos. Small roots have appeared on them. But I don’t know what to do further. Could you please guide? Waseema

Reply:

Once a lucky bamboo shoot begins to produce roots the care becomes essentially the same as a fully developed stem.  We have some great tips on how to care for lucky bamboo

Light Requirement for Lucky Bamboo:

Lucky bamboo needs bright indirect light. In it’s native environment Dracaena sanderiana receive an ample amount of light. However, the surrounding plants shade the lucky bamboo from direct exposure to the sun. Too much direct sunlight can cause the leaves to burn. It is important that the lucky bamboo receive adequate light; lack of light will cause week growth, stretching and poor color. Low light conditions will, also, cause stunted growth and inhibit new leaf growth. The light requirements for lucky bamboo are the same whether grown in water or in soil.

Water Requirements for Lucky Bamboo In Water

Water level should be at least a couple of inches. Make sure the roots are covered with water; add water to keep the water level constant. Every couple of weeks change the water completely. Refill the container with clean water. Lucky bamboo is sensitive to the salts and chemicals in tap water; use distilled water or rainwater if possible. If you must use tap water let it set in an open container over night; this will let the chlorine evaporate. However, there is no way to remove the fluoride from the tap water. Fluoride can cause leaf tips to turn brown. Low humidity can cause leaf tips to turn brown as well. Mist the leaves of the lucky bamboo every couple of days if lack of humidity is a problem.

Fertilizer Requirements for Lucky Bamboo

Lucky bamboo doesn’t require much fertilizer and can survive in pure water for quite a while. When you bring lucky bamboo home don’t fertilize it for a couple of weeks; this will prevent over-fertilization. In fact, if your lucky bamboo turns yellow when you bring it home immediately change the water. Yellow leaves on lucky bamboo are an indicator of over-fertilization. Anytime your lucky bamboo has been over-fertilized, change the water and don’t fertilize for several months.

Fertilize your lucky bamboo every couple of months (you can go longer). You can use a little dirty aquarium water (if you have it) or a diluted (tenth of the normal strength) water-soluble houseplant fertilizer. The best time to fertilize is when you change the water.

Temperature Requirements:
Lucky bamboo needs moderate temperature. Normal household temperatures are fine. However, placing lucky bamboo next to an air vent or a door can cause problems due to rapid temperature changes.

I also have a little guide that will help identify any problems that come up.

Lucky Bamboo Problems, Pests & Diseases

• Leaves with brown tips - Fluoride burn or lack of humidity. What to do: Fluoride Burn – replace water with clean distilled or rain water; Dry Air - mist leaves every day or every couple of days.
• Yellow Leaves – too much light or fertilizer. What to do: Too much light – place more distance between the lucky bamboo & the light; too much fertilizer – replace water with distilled water & don’t fertilize for several months.
• Stalks yellow from bottom up – too much fertilizer. What to do: Replace with distilled water and don’t fertilize. At the point that the stalks turn yellow it is often too late for the lucky bamboo to recover. It is often better to cut the green top off and start a new plant. If you have more than one stalk in a container, but only one is yellow, remove the yellow stalk and change the water.
• Brown or mushy stalks - root-rot; roots have rotted from over-fertilization or over-watering (plants potted in soil). What to do: Cut the healthy tops off and root new plants.
• White sticky substance on stalks, snail-looking growth on stalks or cottony substances on stalks – insects. Scale and spider mites can be, although rarely, a problem for lucky bamboo. What to do: Clean the container and pebbles with soapy water (a few drops of dish detergent in water works well) and rinse completely. Wipe each stalk gentle with the soapy water and rinse well. Place the clean stalks in the container and fill with distilled water or rainwater.
• Algae growing in water and on container – too much fertilizer and light. Algae grows in nutrient rich water with ample light. What to do: Clean the lucky bamboo, pebbles and container with soapy water following the same procedure as above. Place the lucky bamboo in the container and fill with water. You might need to move it a little farther from the light or switch to an opaque container.

Hopefully this information will bring you great lucky with your Dracaena sanderiana.  Please keep me posted on your lucky bamboo’s progress.

Ask the Expert: How do I make my Lucky Bamboo grow more leaves? These are new plants to me and I love them but they seem to only have 1 or 2 leaves on them. How do I get them to grow 2 or 3 more? Thanks a bunch for your help.
Judy

Reply:
With lucky bamboo (Draceana sanderiana), I would recommend a light solution of water soluble fertilizer about once a month until winter to encourage leaf production. I would also recommend misting the lucky bamboo every couple of days. If you have it in extremely low light, give it a little more light. All of these things should encourage leaf growth from the top of the plant.

Ask The Expert: My lucky bamboo is decaying. one by one its stalks and leaves are turning yellow and finally dead.I have kept it in one inch water.Also I see some black deposition at the bottom of the stalks. Arva

REPLY:
You probably have a fungus spreading through your lucky bamboo. If you have any stems that are not showing signs of being infected remove them from the rest and place in a new clean container. As to the infected ones, if you have any stems with a fair amount of green left to them you can start new plants and throw the infected parts away. You will need to clean your container before you start the new plants. Go to We Are Not Always Lucky With Lucky Bamboo to get instructions on how to start new lucky bamboo. Good Luck and Keep Me posted.