Why Is Lucky Bamboo Turning Yellow?
Gary asks:
We have a 3 stalk Lucy Banboo plant and it was doing well but in the last two weeks we have ovserved that the biggest and tallest one has start to trun yellow. The leaves are all green and healthly looking. We live outside of Bethlehem PA. The temperature is about 60 degrees. The plant gets indirect day light but it is not in a window.We use only spring water and we water it twice a month.
Is this condition something that I should be worry about.
Jamie’s Reply: Although you use spring water, it may still be heavy in salts. Too much floride, chlorine, or salts can cause the leaves to yellow. Try using distilled water. I would not worry if only one or two leaves at the bottom are turning yellow. Flower Shop Network has an informative newsletter called Caring for Lucky Bamboo. Hope this helps.
Gary responds:
Thank you for getting back to me but the leaves are not the part that is turning yellow but 1 out of tree stalks are turning yellow.
I printed out the newsletter and will read through it. Should I be worried about the stalk turning yellow?
Jamie’s Reply: I am a little concerned. You may have some type of pathogen — insect or fungal. Check for scale or spider mites both are insects. Scale will be a cottony substance or a shell like attachment on the stem or at the base of the leaves. You will need a magnifying glass to see the spider mites — they will be actively crawling around. As for fungal, check for soft tissue any where on the stem especially at the water line. One other thing have you fertilized your lucky bamboo? I will research a little further to see if I can come up with any other possibilities.
Gary Responds:
Thank you for getting back to me.
I will get a magnifying glass and check for spider mites and fungal. No we have not fertilized the luck bamboo but we will. Can you please let us know what and how we should do this.
Jamie’s Reply : Use any standard house plant food at about one-tenth the recommended dilution rate each time you change the water. Make sure you are using a water soluble fertilizer.
March 2nd, 2007 at 12:13 am
How do you get ride of the spider mites or scales?
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:13 am
Genevieve,
You can get rid of spider mites or scales with an insecticide. If the scale or spider mites are on your house plants look for an insecticide that is permethrin or resmethrin based (example fertilome red spider & mite spray). If it is on a shrub outside you can use the same thing or use a chemical with more strength. You can get these products at your local garden center under several different brands name — fetilome, hi-yeild, bonide etc. The staff at the garden center should be well versed on how to use these products. After you kill the insects, it is important to keep the plant from any stress. Stress from lack of fertilizer or improper watering practices makes the plant more susceptible to insects. Hope this helps. If you need more information don’t hesitate to ask.
Good luck
Jamie
May 14th, 2007 at 5:46 am
Hi I wonder if you could be able to help me, I was given a lovely bamboo arrangement of 8 stalks, end two smaller and getting to the middle gets taller, my bamboo sits in a ceramic pot with pebbles in it !! I went away on vacation, for 2 weeks, placed it in the kitchen sink which was full of water well , when i put the pot in their the water sat one inch away the top of the pot so there was plenty of water to drink while we were away. I remember that it wasn’t in direct sunlight because there were blinds at the window that were turned slightly.
I come back, it looked out, but i noticed about a week later that it was going yellow, and on side is more yellow than the other ( the stalk ) the yellow, is starting from the TOP NOT the BOTTOM…. starting at the tip of the stalk and the yellow is going down…
I love this thing, im upset i’ve done something very wrong, hopeing that it will revive itself if i i pay more attention to it and play with the leaves from time to time!!
please help i dont want to loose the stalk !
May 14th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Bret,
Change the water using distilled water if possible. Usually light and fertilizer are what turn lucky bamboo yellow. Although your blinds may have been turned, at some point in the day direct sunlight may have shone through; move the plant to an area with more a indirect light source. Your well water may have some trace elements that the lucky bamboo doesn’t like; which is why I recommend distilled water. If you change the water, I believe your lucky bamboo will recover.
June 4th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
i have had my lucky plant for years, i decided it needed a new vase. its 3′tall
i put them(3 stalks) in a clear vase with green glass rocks, looks so pretty. now the stalks are turning yellow!! what happened???
thank- you
June 5th, 2007 at 7:47 am
Nina,
Did you fertilize the lucky bamboo when you transplanted it? Did you move it into an area with more light?
If you fertilized it, change the water using distilled water and don’t fertilize for a couple of months.
If you moved it into an area with more light, step it back from the light and then gradually move it towards the light.
If you used tap water the chlorine and fluoride in the water could be the problem.
When using tap water put the water in a container and let it set for 24hrs then pour it in your lucky bamboo container.
June 23rd, 2007 at 11:37 am
Hi,
I had the same issue and noticed that my stem, which was the longest and biggest, was turning yellow, though the leaves looked healthy and green. I immediately took the plant out, and took the pebbles out, and found a key inside lying in it. Don’t know how that happened, but I believe that was what was contaminating the water. Anyway, I washed the pebbles, and washed the roots, and put the lucky bamboo back in, and filled it with filtered water. So hoping it becomes healthy again.
June 29th, 2007 at 8:59 am
I have a lucky bamboo plant in my cube at work, its in a container with pebbles and water. I’ve had it for 2 1/2 years with no problems. We’ve moved to another building recently, where the air conditioning appears to be much colder. My bamboo plant started turning yellow at the stalk and is moving up to the leaves. I don’t see any mold or insects, just some sticky brown syrupy substance on the leaves? Any idea what can be causing this? Is it the colder temp, or is someone watering my plant with Coca-Cola?
June 29th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Tara,
Your lucky bamboo is probably going through transplant shock. Several conditions maybe contributing to this — if you are not using distilled water (the water in the new building may have more flouride or chlorine) — temperature change (yes) — too much fertilizer —
Solutions — change water using distilled water
propagate new lucky bamboo to replace the compromised stalks
time will cure the temperature change
As for the brown sticky substance — usually some form of pathogen (insects or fungus) are the cause. Try this take a moist cloth and wipe off the sticky substance if it reappears get a magnifying glass and take a closer look you will probably find some type of sucking insect.
July 30th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
I bought a three-stalk arrangement of Lucky Bamboo sometime in February, or shortly before that. One stalk at a time, it has turned yellow and gotten mushy, from the the top of the stalk to the bottom. The first stalk died maybe a month or two after I bought it. I changed the amount of light it gets, and how often I add water, and I’ve never used fertilizer. There’s only one stalk left now, and it’s yellow-brown, shriveled, and squishy at the top.
Is there any way I can save it?
July 31st, 2007 at 7:14 am
Tammy,
If the roots have not rotted you can cut the top off and start a new plant with the healthy roots and stem. However, usually a mushy stalk means the roots have rotted and the only way to start a new plant is to cut the top off and root it. In your case the top has been compromised and is not suitable for rooting. If you root any part of the plant be sure to use distilled water instead of tap water.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:58 am
Jamie, thanks for sharing your expertise, I had no idea how to care for my bamboo but now I think I may be able to stop killing my poor arrangements.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Jamie,
your responses to previous inquiries of others helped. One question : I had my bamboo at home over the summer and took it back to work. Everything was business as usual until about 3 days ago when the stalk began to turn yellow! I remember that I had added some water to it at my work site. I have now brought it home and rinsed it out, adding distilled water. The stalk is still firm - once it’s yellow, it’s always yellow, right? And I should just go ahead and cut off the yellow parts and make the best of what I have left?? thanks!
September 10th, 2007 at 7:16 am
Nancy,
It depends if the stalk is slightly yellow it may come around. Give it about a week and see if the color changes. If the stalk is completely yellow and starts to soften then you will need to cut it off and start over.
November 1st, 2007 at 6:22 am
Transplanting a bamboo plant to a new pot, office environment. Roots are red? Is this normal. Can I safely trim the roots back?
November 1st, 2007 at 8:41 am
Teresa,
You might have red algae growing on the roots. Algae is a result of too much light or fertilizer. If you can re-pot your lucky bamboo in an opaque container that will help. Before you place the lucky bamboo in a new container wash the plant stalks, container and any rocks you are using and start over with clean water. You can trim the roots back.
You might be interested in the Flower Shop Network newsletter Caring for Lucky Bamboo
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:47 pm
I’ve had my bamboo shoot for 3 years now, and it’s always prospered well. A few months ago, I noticed that the ends of the leaves were turning yellowish, and a friend of mine who’s grown babmboo for years said it was common because I was using tapwater, and that it was fine; he always used tapwater and many of his bamboo plants had their brown tips for years. I didn’t start worrying until about 1/4 of the leaves turned completely brown and curled up. Since then, the rest of both leaves have turned yellow, save for a small patch of green on each, the stalk leading off the main stalk to the leaves is mostly yellow, and the main stalk itself is yellowing. For the past several weeks I have been using nothing but bottled Deer Park water with the shoot.
The stalk itself is still very firm, so I suppose that’s a good sign. Can you suggest anything for me to try? I thought it might be getting too much sun down on the dining room table, so I moved it up to my room where only a slight bit of sun gets in, which I thought would take care of the plant’s need for indirect sunlight. But it is still yellowing. The dining room windows are curtained, but I thought that maybe they were letting in too much light; I guess not. Please help me if you can; it was a gift from my girlfriend and I have grown very fond of it.
December 26th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Rob,
Lets address the issue of leaves turning brown. Two things can cause it to turn brown: 1 - fluoride in the water (tap water often contains fluoride) and 2) air that is too dry.
So, if you change to distilled water and mist the leaves every day or so, then you can elevate the browning. The problem now is that it has gone past browning into yellowing. Yellowing is usually caused by too much light or fertilizer. Unless you recently placed the lucky bamboo in the dining room, I don’t think light was the factor. If you have fertilized the lucky bamboo, then the fertilizer may have caused a problem. I recommend changing the water (check you bottle water - some bottled waters still contain additives) and giving it a few days to adjust. If the stalk continues to yellows cut it off and let it produce new growth. To encourage new growth - cut the stalk about an inch above a node making sure there is green growth only; then wait a few days and begin misting the cut section. Don’t fertilize your lucky bamboo again until you have a full set of healthy leaves.
Keep in mind that when we move plants they go through transplant shock and it takes a little time for them to recover. So try to place your lucky bamboo in it’s permanent home after you cut the yellow off.
January 9th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Hello, i have lucky bamboo stems were growing so well and now these stems were veru taller. then i thought to cut in the middle and cut and try to to grow again put in different vases. with the roots one and cut part of sterms both are going to turning yellow. and without the roots are going to dry from the top too. please accept my reqest and let me know to meke them healty againg.
Thanks
Raj
January 9th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Raj,
I’m not sure why they are turning yellow. When you cut lucky bamboo it is best to put it in fresh distilled water with no fertilizer. If you fertilized them after you cut them then the fertilizer is causing the problem. If you use tap water the fluoride and chlorine could be a problem. Re-cut the lucky bamboo and remove the yellow parts. Stalk with roots - make your cut about an inch above a node (raised ring on stem) and place in container with fresh distilled water. Wait two days and then lightly mist the cut surface every couple of days to encourage new growth. On the lucky bamboo stalks that don’t have roots cut again - make sure there isn’t any yellow. Dip the cut in rooting hormone and let dry overnight. place in a container with fresh distilled water. do not fertilize either for a couple of months. Try not to expose either to direct sunlight - they prefer indirect light. You might want to read Caring for Lucky Bamboo
Good Luck.
May 5th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Hi,
I have lucky bamboo stalks in a glass container with pebbles and water. Their leaves were all dark green but recently some new leaves are growing light green, However it seemes that they dont have any problem and are not yellow, is it normal or should I change the location with less light?
Thanks.
May 5th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Noosha,
Have these new leaves always been light green or just recently? If they have always been light green they may just be young and will eventually turn darker green. However, if the leaves were dark then became green then they may be in the process of turning yellow. In this case there are two reasons that contribute to yellowing leaves - light and fertilizer. If you haven’t fertilized you lucky bamboo, I would try moving it away from the light slightly to see if the leaves become darker. If this doesn’t do the trick and the leaves remain pale but not yellow, try fertilizing the lucky bamboo. Use a water soluble fertilizer at 1/10th the normal strength and give the lucky bamboo a very small amount.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Hello there,
In December, I bought my boyfriend’s mom some “lucky bamboo” as Christmas present as well as a house-warming present. The bamboo stalks have been holding up great until recently. One stalk out of five has recently started to die :(. I have the same recurring problem as alot of other people have had…the stalk is going yellow from the top down and has grown very mushy in the yellowish areas. I haven’t read very many promising posts… but I guess the bamboo is giving me some hope as the leaves are still quite green.
From what I understand, my boyfriend’s mom waters the plant with tap water, doesn’t fertilize it and leaves it in the same area with indirect sunlight. Do you have any ideas of what could be causing this yellowing in just one stalk?
As well, is there a possibility that this yellowing could be transferred to other stalks?
Any help you can provide would be great,
Thanks so much!!
ps. I wish I had known i could attach an image of my bamboo plant!! …Then I would’ve taken a picture.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Carmina,
It is a good idea to remove the yellow stalk from the others, just in case the problem tries to spread. Fluoride can be a problem for lucky bamboo and tap water usually contains fluoride. Unlike the chlorine it doesn’t evaporate but it usually causes brown leaf tips not yellow. Do I understand that only the stalk is yellow and not the leaves? This would indicate a fertilizer or chemical problem. So it could be the tap water.
I would remove the yellow stalk. If you are able to cut off the healthy part of the lucky bamboo and start a new one do this separately from the other stalks. Take and clean the container and the stalks that are still healthy. This way we can eliminate any bacteria that might be a problem. To do this take a wash cloth with a little soapy water and wipe the stalks. Set them aside and wash the container with the soapy water, rinse throughly and fill with distilled or filtered water if possible. Then place the stalks in the container and proceed as normal.
You can still send me a photo if you would like. You can upload it in the comments imapge upload feature or email them to me at jadams@flowershopnetwork.com.
Good Luck.
June 18th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
on these blogs i’ve read the leaves turning yellow. I have experienced the stalk turning yellow but the leaves are still green. What to do ? I mixed straight bamboo with the curved stalks and one of the curved stalks turned yellow the store i bought it from told me to insert small holes into the stalk to allow more water to be absorbed by the plant with a needle and it didn’t change anything so i cut the stalk up til the top where it was still green now i have a 2nd one turning yellow should i throw away both yellow stalks? is one yellow stalk infecting the other ones? please advise thank you so much
June 18th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Joanne,
The lucky bamboo stalk usually turn yellow and die because of a fertilizer issue and sometimes as a result of fungal or insect damage. I don’t quite understand the advise you got about inserting small holes into the stalk. This is not a good idea. How long did you have the lucky bamboo before it started turning yellow? I suspect that the bamboo was given too much fertilizer prior to you purchasing it. Unfortunately once fertilizer damage occurs there is little you can do. Try changing the water replacing it with distilled water. Take the stems that are yellow and cut the green tops off and start new plants. Read Caring for Lucky Bamboo, it will have propagation instruction at the bottom of the page. The yellow stalks are not infecting each per say. But they may have all been exposed to too much fertilizer. Please keep me posted and let me know if you need further advise.
June 23rd, 2008 at 8:01 am
They told me to use bottled water so i\’ve been using Deer Park bottled water not distilled water. My straight bamboo i\’ve had for over 6 months and they are beautiful. I just got the curvy bamboo about 4 weeks ago and the 1 stalk turned yellow after only 2 weeks and the 2nd one turned yellow a few days after the first one started turning yellow. I had them in two separate containers and mixed them into one now i\’ve separated the yellow from the green bamboo and the green bamboo is still hanging in there but the yellow one is still sprouting green leaves but the stalk won\’t change back to green. Should i switch from bottled water to distilled water? thanks Jamie
June 23rd, 2008 at 8:48 am
Joanne,
Lucky bamboo is sensitive to salts, chlorine and fluoride. Your bottled water can contain salts and fluoride so you might want to use distilled bottled water instead. However, I doubt that water is the problem since you have your other Lucky bamboo for 6 months without any problems. It is my thought that the lucky bamboo was over fertilized before you got it. I would take the lucky bamboo with the yellow stalk and the green leaves and cut the yellow stalk off and root the top of the lucky bamboo. You can create curly lucky bamboo with your straight stalks or by manipulating the piece you cut off the top of the yellow stem. Keep me posted. Oh and always clean you containers and change the water when your lucky bamboo has decay issues.
June 24th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Thank you so much for all your prompt responses I’ll try to cut off the yellow and root the top of the lucky bamboo
June 27th, 2008 at 7:02 am
I need help I have had my bamboo for years and I put it in the window I have now learned that was a mistake two of my stalks already died and the big one is wilting in the middle can i cut it off and save some of or not. Thank You
June 27th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Brandy,
You can start new plants from your stalk. First have you removed the lucky bamboo from the window and changed the water? If not this will need to be done. You can try to create new plants from both the top and the stem.
Just follow these directions.
New Lucky Bamboo can be created through vegetative propagation. Begin by finding a node - the raised rings that grow around the stalk - make a cut about an inch above the node. You will now have a top and a bottom. Leave the bottom in the original container. The bottom will have no leaves and after a few days will need to be lightly misted every few days to encourage new growth. The tops will have all of the leaves. Take the top and dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Let it dry overnight before placing the top in the original container or a new container.
Just remember that you will need to cut only healthy tissue and remove any bad sections.
July 29th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Hi Jamie. I’ve read some great bits of info. on here, and I really appreciate your advice. I have a beautiful bamboo plant that was the centerpiece on the head table at my wedding. It has about 10 stalks, 2 of which are heart-shaped.
Unfortunately, our cat loves to eat bamboo, so we have to keep the plant in our den with the door closed so the cat can’t get in. We rarely use this room, and lately I am noticing some of the bamboo leaves are turning light green/yellowish. I use only distilled water. I have also tried moving the plant various distances from the window to see if the light was affecting it, but the leaves still seem to be getting yellow.
I am wondering if being in a closed-off room is affecting the plant? I know plants need carbon dioxide, so is it possible that the bamboo is not getting enough fresh CO2 circulation? Would that cause yellowing of the leaves?
I would appreciate your feedback. This plant has a lot of sentimental value and I don’t want to lose it! Thanks!
July 29th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Janae,
Chances are the damage occurred before you got it. Do this Change your water one more time and clean the container. Place the Lucky bamboo about six feet away from the window if the blind is open about 1 foot if the blind is closed. As long as you heat and cool the room the sir quailty should be ok. However the humidity wont be sufficient for the lucky bamboo. Mist the air in the room around the lucky bamboo every three days. Don’t do anything else to the lucky bamboo for at least two weeks — this means don’t move it; don’t change the water; don’t fertilize it. ghe only thing you need to do during this time period is mist it or add water if needed. The yellow should stop spreading in about a week. Good Luck.
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I recently purchased a set of 3 bamboo to go with a stalk I had for close to 6 years. The stalk I had for the 6 years was normally just kept in a glass with plenty of water. When I got the new bamboo I decided to put them together and shortly after the one I had forever started to turn yellow from the bottom up. It seems to of stopped about 3 segments from the top and the leaves and the top segments are doing well and are firm but the others segments are turning yellow and mushy and is turning brown near the rocks. I just hope its not to late to save the stalk I have had for 6 years.
October 6th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Chris,
Did you have the rocks before or after you brought he new lucky bamboo stalk home? If you added them after you got the new stalk, you will need to clan the rocks and the container. They may have something the lucky bamboo doesn’t like. Be sure to fill the container with distilled water before you place the lucky bamboo back in the container.
Now the only way to save the older piece of lucky bamboo is to re-root it. Start by cutting off the yellow part of the stalk. You should now be left with a healthy piece of lucky bamboo. Dip the stalk in rooting hormone (you can find it at your local nursery & garden center) and let it dry overnight. Now place the stalk in the container with the distilled water. In a couple of weeks new roots should form. Don’t fertilize for a couple of months. Please keep me posted.
October 27th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
My lucky bamboo is yellowing from the top it is curly. Can I cut off the yellowed part. If I do will it grow back in the curly formation?
October 28th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Jessica,
You can trim off the yellow top from your lucky bamboo. However it will not grow back curly. Spiral or curly lucky bamboo is created by manipulating the lucky bamboo stalks. If you want your lucky bamboo to be curly you will have to manipulate the plant to do so. Read the post about curling (spiral) lucky bamboo. It will give you the steps to manipulate the lucky bamboo stems.
November 7th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
I have a stalk of curly, lucky bamboo with leaves near the top which I love! The top of the stem is yellow and a little mushy though. The leaves, however, are still green and the segment it is on is starting to turn yellow. Is there any way I can save it with the leaves too? It is in a container with rocks and I was changing the water every week. I\’ve had it for a few months (with the rocks) and only recently has it turned yellow. I have never fertilized it. Last week, I put distilled water in it and removed it further from the light, but there doesn\’t seem to be much of a change. Can I cut off the yellow, mushy part and try to save the leaves and half yellow segment? If so, what do I do about the exposed, cut edge then? Thank you!!
November 10th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Tessa,
You need to cut the yellow parts out. If the leaves have healthy green stalk attached to them you can cut the yellow part off and the green stalk will form new roots. However if the yellow goes to the base of the leaves there is no way to save the leaves. However the green stalk with the roots will form new leaves. In my reply to Brandy I detail how to remove the yellow and start new plants. Good luck and If have any other questions please let me know.
December 6th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
I’ve had my lucky bamboo for over 2 years and it’s been quite healthy. Just recently I’ve noticed one stalk going yellow - but only on one side of the stalk! I wouldn’t describe it as mushy by any means, but it is a bit less firm in the yellow areas than the green ones.
I have not changed anything in how I care for it. For example I’ve used the same kind of water since I got it and I’ve never given it any fertilizer. I’ve never exposed it to direct sunlight. It’s going yellow from the bottom, but only on the one side. The leaves, other stalks, and even the top of the stalk in question are all still nice and green.
The only thing I can think is possibly a draft, but any draft from the window wouldn’t blow directly on the plant, the way it’s positioned. We’ve had a couple of cold nights but we’ve had similar cold nights in years past and the bamboo didn’t turn yellow until just now.
What could be causing this and is there anything I can do to save/salvage the plant?
December 7th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Katie,
For the time being move the stalk that is turning yellow to a separate container. When you move the stalk examine it closely. Does it have a sticky substance or unusual bumps on the stalk. If it does it may have an infestation of scale, aphids or spider mites. This can be taken care of with an insecticide or by wash it with a light solution of soapy water.
A temperature change could cause stress in the plant. If this is so the plant would more than likely turn a brown or black.
One possibility is the need for fertilizer. If the stalk is more of a pale yellowing but still firm it might need a very week solution of water soluble fertilizer.
If you could send me some pictures at jadams@flowershopnetwork.com, I might be able to determine what is going on. I think we have a good chance that the stalk can be saved.
December 17th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Jamie,
About a year ago, I bought a lucky bamboo for my father, and until recently, it was doing wonderfully. About a week ago one of the salks started turning yellow, and we haven’t been able to figure out why. We’ve changed the lighting, it’s been getting the same water that we always have used (tap), and we have never fertilized it. I was wondering if maybe we have to change the pot it’s in? or if there is an underlying issue? I haven’t seen any kind of parisite on it, and it isn’t mushy, just yellow so far.
any idea what could be causing this?
December 17th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Pam,
Although you have always used tap water, it may be the problem. Tap water from city systems contains fluoride and chlorine. Usually the percentage rate at which these chemicals are add to the water system is the same. However, occasionally the percentage can change slightly. It only takes a slight change for these two chemicals to cause a problem with the lucky bamboo stalks. Fluoride especially can cause problems with dracaena as a whole. Lucky bamboo is a species of dracaena. When fluoride is a problem it usually presents itself by turning the leaves yellow, but it can also turn the stalks yellow. I would recommend changing the water and cleaning the container. If you must use tap water place it in an open container for 24hours before your use it.
In case bacteria is the problem, cleaning the container with soapy water and rinse it thoroughly should help the situation. I would segregate the yellow stalks from the healthy ones if possible. If there is some underlying disease that we don’t know about this should keep it from spreading.
One other thing to check is temperature. A drastic change in temperature can also cause a problem with this nature. Check air flow patterns. If the plant is in the direct line of exterior door opens or heat/air vents this could be a problem and the plant should be moved.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
February 28th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
My lucky bamboo is getting yellow from de bottom to the top. I noticed something was wrong because it smells awful. The leaves still green; the roots are dark; the stem is mushy. I took it off from the pot, that I cleaned it, and clean the pebbles too, but I didn\’t return it there, I put it into a glass of water, then I took it off again. I did this yesterday. What can I do to keep it alive?
March 1st, 2009 at 11:14 am
Lily,
You have to get rid of the mushy stem. Start a new plant from the green top. Follow the procedure I gave Brandy above. Since it turned yellow from the bottom up, I would just discard the part attached to the roots. You would need a healthy green section attached to the roots in order to save them. Once you cut the healthy green top off and it starts to root follow these practices:
Keep in bright light but not direct light.
Keep 2 to 3 inches of water in container at all times. Replenish water with distilled water.
Wait a couple of months before you fertilize and then only with a very diluted solution.
Good luck and keep me posted.
March 1st, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Thank you very much! I will try right now recommendation and keep in touch…
March 6th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
I have three stalks of lucky bamboo that has been thriving in my room for two and a half years. I’ve always used tap water on it, but I let the water sit before using it, and I’ve never used any fertilizer. About a month ago, I took the bamboo out and washed the container, and it was fine for about two weeks after that. Then, the shortest stalk started turning yellow from the top down. The leaves stayed green until just a few days ago, when they started turning yellowish, too. I’ve been washing some scum off of the bamboo for awhile now, but it’s on all three of them, and the other two haven’t seemed to be bothered by it.
I moved the yellowing one into a separate container two days ago, but I haven’t noticed any difference. The yellowing of the stalk has reached to about a centimetre above the roots, where it’s still healthy green. The stalk isn’t soft by any means, but it still looks unhealthy.
I’ve read through a bunch of the previous comments, and I checked for spider mites, which don’t seem to be present. Could it be the water? Or a problem with the light, or some kind of disease? Do you think I can fix it? I could send you a picture if you’d like.
March 9th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Maria,
Since you have been using the same water all along I doubt that water is the issue. I don’t usually talk about nutrient deficiency in lucky bamboo, but in your case we might take a look at a calcium deficiency or even a trace element deficiency like manganese. Try using a very diluted amount of water soluble African violet fertilizer. Schultz has one that has trace elements. Unfortunately correcting a calcium deficiency is harder. I don’t know of any fertilizer with water soluble calcium. Check with your local garden center (not a discount store like Walmart or Lowes) but a real nursery & garden center. They might know of a fertilizer that you can use.
March 9th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
I will try looking for a fertilizer for it. In the meantime, I’ve noticed that the top of the stalk is becoming more brownish and wrinkling, and the leaves are yellowing more. Can it still be saved, or is it too far gone to help it?
March 10th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Maria,
If the stalk is getting really soft and wrinkled, I would cut off the brown part. The green stalk will put out new leaves once the brown has been trimmed off. If you are not sure how or where to cut it. Take a picture and upload it here. Then I can tell you how and where to trim it.
April 9th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Hi,
I recently left my plant in the car overnight during a particularly cold evening…definitely under 30 degrees. Now the leaves are droopy and the stems are turning brown! I just re-potted it with fresh water (I added a tiny bit of Miracle Grow) and I also added a bit of soil under the rocks it was always in before. I know that they don’t normally grow in soil, but I also know that soil helps roots absorb nutrients, so I figure why not try? It’s been a week and nothing is improving. Does anyone have any suggestions? If I cut off a green stalk and put it in water, will it root? I’ve attached a photo but I’m not sure if it’ll be clear enough.
Thanks!
Anita
April 10th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Cold temperatures cause lucky bamboo to deteriorate rather rapidly. The damage that has occur doesn’t usually go away. The first thing you need to do is access the depth of damage. Is the browning advancing or is it the same as it was shortly after it appeared. If it is advancing the only choice is to start new plants.
I took a glance at your picture and it looks as if only one stem is really damaged. Simply remove the brown leaves off the other stems.
You will need to start a new plant from the damaged stem. To do this you will need rooting hormone (you can get this at your local garden center or nursery), a sharp knife and a new container. Find a node that is in a green section of the plant. The node is the raised ring on the stem of the lucky bamboo. About an inch above the node make your cut. Dip the cut end in the rooting hormone and let it dry. Fill your new container with about 2 to 3inches of water. Place the lucky bamboo cutting in the new container. Remove the brown stem from the original container and throw it away. In a few weeks your cutting will develop new roots.
One other thing if your plant didn’t have soil in it originally, it doesn’t need the soil now. You might want to clean your container and replace it with fresh water and no soil. Be sure to use distilled water or at least let the chlorine evaporate from the tap water before you use it. I recommend that you don’t fertilze the lucky bamboo for at least two months. Good luck and keep me posted.
April 11th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
I see a lot of comments about the stalk turning yellow, but none of them really fit my situation.
One of the three stalks (all in the same vase for over a year) has started turning yellow on one side from what I assume is the top down. It’s all the way at the top of the stalk, which isn’t mushy but has started to wrinkle. The yellow spot has also started to wrap around the stalk so its all going to be yellow soon. one of the top nodes has also developed a black patch slightly larger in diameter than a pencil eraser. The roots of all the stalks are still healthy, as are the leaves and stems. The infected plant is slightly lighter green on top, but only if you look closely. Two of the stalks (including the infected one) have thumb sized brown spots at the water line, dark brown rings with light brown indented (slightly) spaces. The kind of resemble nodes only instead of a ring its a spot under the lowest node (I hope that makes some sense). The not-yellow stalk has black spots on this area, but may be the healthiest of the three.
I do not and have not fertilized my plants the year or so I’ve had them, and they are planted in a vase with rocks. They’ve always gotten filtered water, and when I noticed this problem with the one stalk, I rinsed the roots and rocks before refilling with more filtered water. To cut the stalk to replant, i would have to cut it in half vertically (which I don’t think will work). Is there anything I can do but wait and see?
Sorry, I know there’s a lot of similar things posted.
April 12th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I think you problem is fungal or bacterial. You need to get the infected stem out of the container or it will infect the other stems. Wash your container and rocks with soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Then place the healthy stems back in the container. If there is any healthy green tissue above the roots, you can start a new plant. You only need a few inches to start a new plant. However if the yellow goes all the way to the roots, the stalk is too damaged to save.
Why did this occur? It is hard to say. At some point the lucky bamboo may have been stressed. When a plant becomes stress then things that naturally occur in the environment will become a problem. Since this started on one side, I would look at an over-exposure of light to that side. Of course it could be as simple as a weak spot in the stem from the beginning.
If you are not sure that we have made the right diagnosis, send me a picture of the stem. Try to take an up close shot of the infected area. This way I can verify that it is not an insect problem.
Good luck and keep me posted.
April 17th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
I have had a bamboo plant that I have had for at least 5-6 years. I got it at a flower show with my dad and has been great. I love it and has required little maintenance. I always have watered it with just plain water and never fertilized it or anything. I recently decided that the leaves were dull and bought that plant shine stuff. I now am noticing that the tips of the leaves are turning yellow/brown and traveling up. The stalks and everything else are green but the leaves seem to be a little more droopier than ever in the past. Do you think this plant shine stuff is killing my plant? What can I do so save this plant?? HELP!!!!
April 20th, 2009 at 7:34 am
Anna,
Lucky bamboo is very sensitive to many chemicals. So, it would surprise me if the leaf shine was causing a problem. I would take a wet washcloth and wipe all of the leaves off. Then watch the stems very closely for then next few weeks. If the stem starts to show signs of damage, you may need to start new pants. I would do this as a last result only. Good luck and keep me posted.
April 24th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
I have had a lucky bamboo plant for 3 years, in the same place, in the same container and using the same well water as I have for the last three years. It is turning yellow from the bottom up. It is now 3/4 the way up the stalk. What can I do to save my plant that was given to my fiance and I as a house warming gift!!!!!
April 26th, 2009 at 5:52 am
The yellow is farther up…. the leaves are still green as could be. What can I do??
April 27th, 2009 at 7:57 am
If the plant is yellow from the bottom up, I would start a new stem using the top that is green. Find a place on the stem where there is absolutely no yellowing. Then look for a node in that section. A node is the raised ring on the lucky bamboo stalk. Cut it off about an inch above this node. Then dip the cut end with the green leaves in rooting hormone. Let the rooting powder dry on the stem and then place in water. I would remove the yellow stalk and clean the container with soapy water and refill the container. Place all the healthy stalks back in the container including the one that you are trying to root. Good luck and keep me posted.
April 28th, 2009 at 4:48 am
My bamboo stalk is starting to turn a tannish-brownish-yellowish on one side. It’s only on that side, and if you turn it around you’ll only see a green plant. I’ve been using tap water, which might be the problem. The plant doesn’t get that much sunlight because it’s on a ledge quite a bit away from the window. The portion that is tan was not facing the sun. Do I have to cut off the tan part even though it’s only on one side? What can I do to make my plant better. I’m switching to distilled water today. I’ve never given my plant fertilizer so I don’t think that’s the problem. Please help. Thanks!
April 28th, 2009 at 8:14 am
I am concerned that you have a fungus on your lucky bamboo called Collectotrichum dracaenophilum. It usually causes raised brown patches on the stem that have a naroon colored border. The only way to get rid of this fungus is cut off the infected parts. This usually means you have to root a top that hasn’t been effected or allow the rooted part to make new leaves.
I am attaching a picture of what lucky bamboo looks like when it has been infected with Collectotrichum dracaenophilum. I found the picture at http://www.sepdn.org/DesktopModules/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=3103
April 28th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I looked at your picture and I have a high feeling that isn’t the problem. Even though the brown area of the stalk is firm, the outside is sort of wrinkly. The other side is not as dark of a green as the other stalks I have. If you could help me identify and instruct me on how to fix the problem it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
April 29th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Now that I see the plant it looks more like a water issue. Your tap water may contain too much chlorine, fluoride or salts. Empty the container and fill with distilled water. The yellowing should stop and the plant should recover. The yellowish part might not turn back to green. However as long as it doesn’t become mushy, it will be ok.
It might need slightly more light as well. Rotate the plant every so often so that all sides get some light.
May 4th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Hi,
I just wanted to send an update about the plants I left in the car during a cold night. Unfortunately, I was not able to save the oldest plant. There were two pieces of stalk that were about 3 inches long and still green. I tried using the root hormone, but I ended up with soft yellow stalks that somehow had perfectly healthy looking roots! Thanks for trying to help me save my plant!
Anita
May 5th, 2009 at 2:58 am
Hi there, I just wanted to get some quick advice about my plant… I have had no problems with it but I left it at work and the lady at my desk said she watered it and after being away for a few weeks I came back to see it like this. Have uploaded a picture for you as I have no idea what to do. I hear you say something about tap water but my plant never had a problem before so why now? Anyway the yellow is slightly soft but not really and as you can see the rest of the plants happy! What should I do? as they are formed in 2 love hearts ID rather not just take the yellowed one out. It hasn’t been repotted since I got it but yeah I just want to know if there is anyway I can heal whats happened to it? And keep it from getting worse! At work it didn’t get really any light and no fertilizer for months. Just gave it a dose then.
May 5th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Lack of light could be causing the problem. However, your helpful office mate may have add more water that you usually do and it might have been a high chlorine day. Tap water can vary in the amount of chlorine and fluoride that you receive from day to day. If you fertilized before the yellowing occurred, the concentrate was too strong.
Whatever the cause the real issue here is what to do. Once the plant starts to go soft, the damage is beyond repair. For the health of your lucky bamboo, any soft or mushy part of the stem needs to be removed. If your stems are yellow but not soft, you can give them a wait and see approach. I can’t tell if the lucky bamboo is in water or soil. If it is in water, I would clean the container and add new distilled water. Once you remove the damaged part of the lucky bamboo the other healthy stems will do fine.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Hi there, my lucky bamboo is in soil. It has these pebbles on the top which are kind of stuck so they dont fall out. I didnt fertilise before the yellowing so I think its something to do with the office maybe? The fertilise happened as soon as I bought it home!
May 5th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Ok. This is a little easier. You plant has a water stress issue. Your co-worker either over-watered or under-watered the lucky bamboo. That is neither here nor there. Resume your normal water regime and the stalk should start to improve. If you used a very light solution of fertilizer you should be fine. If you used a strong solution, the plant will have to work it out. You can dilute the fertilizer by adding more water to the soil if it is dry. Good luck and keep me posted.
May 10th, 2009 at 5:39 am
Hi Jamie,
My poor beloved bamboo of six years seems to be in poor health, I’m hoping you might be able to give me some advice!
It is single stemmed but very tall and abundant in roots. I’ve never trimmed or fertilised it and have only ever used tap water, which apparently might contain chlorine but no fluoride, and every so often wash its vase with soapy water. It has been in the same spot for years, indoors, and has never really had any trouble until lately.
There are two things of concern; a large dark brown mark on the inside of the stalk, towards the first bend which is around 10×20mm in size (looks a lot larger in the photo than it actually is, I tried to get a closeup!) that is soft to the touch and almost lined in texture like the trunk of a tree. Also the leaves are starting to brown and curl at the ends.
I’ve attached a photo of the bamboo, and I’ll follow it by one of the mark and of the roots, I’d be really grateful for any advice you could give!
Megan.
May 10th, 2009 at 5:45 am
…the whole bamboo…
May 10th, 2009 at 5:53 am
… and finally, the frightful mark!
May 11th, 2009 at 8:40 am
It looks as if you have a fungal lesion on your lucky bamboo stem. This will only continue to get bigger and compromise the plant. I am attaching a picture to show you where to to make your cuts to remove the lesion. The upper part will no longer have roots and the lower part will no longer have leaves. However, that is not a problem. When you cut the top of the lucky bamboo off dip the cut end in rooting hormone (you can pick some up at your local garden center and nursery). Let the powder dry on the stalk for at at least a couple hours and them insert the end of the stalks in water. Leave the bottom in the container it is in and wait a day or two and then start misting the cut. You should start to see new roots and leaves in a couple of weeks.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:59 am
I recently had to replant my bamboo, it has been turning yellow since the roots started surfacing in the smaller container. I transplanted it in a vase with water marbles, they use tap water but I guess I could use bottled water with them. I have it close to my window at work but it never gets direct sunlight. I have had it for several years. Should I put it in something else or will it bounce back?
Thanks
September 16th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Was it yellow before you transplanted it? If so the new container with clean water should take care of the problem. If the yellowing occurred after the transplant, the tap water may have had too much chlorine or fluoride. In this case, as along as the yellowing is not increasing you should be ok. If the yellowing is spreading, replace the water with distilled water. One other thing are the marbles approved for use with fish or plants. If not they could be emitting a chemical that the lucky bamboo doesn’t like.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
The booth where they were sold had the bamboo displayed that’s why I stopped & bought them. You soak the marbles in water and they expand, after a month they shrink and you re-soak them with fresh water. I don’t think they have chemicals in them the rep told me I could add regular plant food if I neede to and they can be put in any plants even if they are in soil.
It was yellowing before, I assumed it was because it was out growing the shorter container and the roots were coming out of the top.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
If the yellowing isn’t progressing let it be. I think it will over come the problem. It is hard to tell from the picture but you may have too many marbles and not enough water.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
The marbles shrink as they release the water. There is only a little water at the bottom of the container. The marbles are the size of seed beads before they are soaked in water. Can not enough water turn it yellow? If the marbles don’t work what can I replant it in? The original container was VERY small and only had a small amount of dirt with rocks. For the most part it was filled with the roots.
September 17th, 2009 at 7:41 am
The lucky bamboo was originally in dirt. That explains alot. The transfer from dirt to water is probably the reason it i s turning yellow. It might take a few weeks for the lucky bamboo to recover from the transition. As long as the yellow is no longer spreading, don’t worry. Just continue with the care as if it had always been in water.
October 7th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Hi!
I bought three lucky bamboos about 4 months ago and the top of the stem on one of them has turned yellow in the past few weeks and is now turning a light brown. Also, I think the leaves on the others are starting to turn yellow as well.
The roots seem to be a dark yellow as well. I am a total novice with plants and I must say even the little bamboos seem to be a challenge for me…
I have been using tap water but I never let it sit for 24 hours before changing the water… I’ll try this but I’m still a bit worried about the outcome.
Last thing, how do you clean the pot? I mean, the roots are all entangled with the little stone… Won’t it break them to remove the bamboos from the pot?
I’ll add some pictures in a moment.
Thanks!
First picture: The bamboos
October 7th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Second picture: The top of the yellow stem.
October 7th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Third picture: The roots
October 7th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Your lucky bamboo has been exposed to too much light or maybe too much fertilizer. Since the yellowing is from the top down, I would say too much light. The part that is yellow will not recover. But all hope is not lost. You need to cut the yellow tops off and let the plant form new ones. To find out how to do this read the post We are not always lucky with lucky bamboo. In the post I detail how and where to make the cut and how to care for it.
As for the roots the color doesn’t look abnormal from the picture. If the roots look more orange than yellow or cream then we have a problem. Should you need to clean the container, you will gently pour out the water and carefully remove the stalks and the pebbles. If a few roots are broken during this process, the plant will still be ok. What you don’t want is to pop all or the major roots off of the stem. Once you have separated the roots from the pebbles you can wash the container and the pebbles. Then you can place the stalks back in the container and gently place the pebbles around them and fill with water.
Good luck and keep me posted on your plants.
October 8th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Thanks for this fast response! Like I said, I don’t really know my way much with plants and I was getting anxious.
I will post back my results!
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:03 pm
I\’m worried my dad bought me 2 3 inch lucky bamboo stalks for my 22nd b-day i just turned 25 yesterday nothing other than my brothers cat has happened to them. I\’ve moved twice this year the last time over 4 1/2 months ago I\’ve never fertilized and have always used city tap water. Light and temp has pretty much stayed the same as well. All of a sudden 1 stalk stared turning yellow today its the whole stalk. This only took 2 weeks. What do i do? Must save! Very sentimental about it. Help!
November 4th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Naomi,
Your city water system maybe adding more chlorine than usual to the water. Remove the stalk that is turning yellow. It will probably die, but you can place it in a container to itself to see if it will recover. Buy a jug of distilled water, empty the water in the lucky bamboo container and refill with the distilled water. Hopefully this will keep the other two stalks from turning yellow. If they start to turn, you will need to start new plants. Good Luck.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I have had a straight stalk and a curly stalk for about 6 months now…no major issues, I have been using tap water, but again, haven’t had an issue.
I left for 2 weeks, and came back to find the curly stalk yellow from the top halfway down. It was extremely squishy and almost moldy(?). After reading a few posts here it sounded like the best option was to cut the bad part off and let the stalk regrow, which is very upsetting since this is my only curly stalk :(.
Anyhow, as I was cutting it off I noticed some strange crusty red growths underneath where the leaves overlap. It looked very odd and made me suspect some kind of fungal infection. After cutting the stalk down, I checked my other stalk and it appears to have the same red growths underneath the overlaps of the leaves.
I’ve attached pictures of the yellow stalk I cut off and a picture of the red growths on my other stalk.
Any suggestions? Should I declare my desk a biohazard zone?
Thanks!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Erik,
I don’t think we are quite at the biohazard stage. But, I do think you have some type of fungal infection happening. The first thing, I would do is cut the mushy piece off. In fact, I would cut at least an inch past the yellow to make sure the fungus has been removed. Before you move to the next stalk drip your clippers in a bleach solution (1part bleach to 1part water). Hopefully this will keep the fungus from spreading. In the green stalk, cut off the section that has the red lesions. If you need instruction on how and where to make the cut go to We are not always lucky with lucky bamboo. It contains pictures and instructions. Good luck and keep me posted.