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78 comments to Lucky Bamboo

• Debbie

  August 16th, 2006 at 7:04 am · Reply

  Algae on rocks
  I have lucky bamboo in a vase with tan rocks. The rocks are getting green, mildewy looking. Is there something that can be added to the water to get rid of this, i have had this plant for 5 years now and dont want to have to take it out of its vase. Thanks

  Hi
  The green mildewy substance is algae which accumulates whent there is stagnant water. Algae thrives in sun and excess nutrients in the water. You should change the water at least once a month to flush out dead material, chemicals and add oxygen to the roots. In large water containers a bicycle pump, or aquarium filter can be used to pump oxygen bubles into the water. When using fertilzer, use a diluted mix of the recommended dose.

• Jasmine

  October 17th, 2006 at 11:25 pm · Reply

  My bamboo plants are very smelly. There is a rotten sulfur-like smell coming from the roots that doesn’t go away even if I change the water every couple of days. I have tried rinsing the roots but this doesn’t help. Can I cut the ends off to allow new roots to grow, or what can I do to fix this stinky problem. Thank you.

  The smell is attributed to decaying plant material, changing the water and rinsing is about all you can do. One recommendation I found was to add 1 TBS of 5% apple cider vinegar to a gallon of water. If that doesn’t work, cut the end off one stalk just below the next ring and see if it will root. It should root provided your bamboo is green and healthy. Scrub you container before placing the new cut into it.

  My bamboo plants are very smelly. There is a rotten sulfur-like smell coming from the roots that doesn’t go away even if I change the water every couple of days. I have tried rinsing the roots but this doesn’t help. I have this problem too and am wondering what is the cause, and how I can prevent it from happening again?

  HI Nancy
  It may be caused by either a fungus or bacteria which can come from anywhere(plant, water,container) and flourish when conditions are ripe. The only thing recommended is to rinse the roots. Try using bottled spring water instead of tap water and make sure the container is clean by sanitizing it with a 10% bleach solution.

• jody

  October 29th, 2006 at 12:04 am · Reply

  Poisonous
  help my dog chewed my lucky bamboo plant now he has loose stool. Is this plant poisonous?

  Lucky bamboo, ribbon plant, known as Draceana sanderiana is listed as a poisonous plant to animals. “It is reported as having systemic effects on animals and/or intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract.” aspca
  Some other symptoms are dilated pupils, abdoninal pain, dyspnea (shortness of breath), tachycardia and hypersalivation. Call the National Animal Poison Control Center (888)4-Anihelp. Go to aspca.org for additional info. Or call you vet.

• Melanie

  December 7th, 2006 at 9:56 pm · Reply

  Root color
  Hi….I have a lucky bamboo that I just took out of its original pot…I have had it for two years and did not realize that the water should be changed every month or that using tap water was bad. One of the stalks had never had leaves and it had turned black, so I removed it and transplanted the lucky bamboo to another container. I noticed that the roots are bright orange, is this normal? Or what color should they be?

  Some roots are white, yellow, orange or brown, so your roots are normal.

• ruby

  December 9th, 2006 at 4:32 am · Reply

  Yellow leaves
  My Friend had sent me Lucky Bamboo stick plant n have placed it in my Drawing room n within 3-4 weeks its leaves have started turning yellow.
  plz provide me tips how to care for this plant and why the leaves are turning yellow?
  waiting for earliest help n thanking in anticipation. RS

  Yellowing of leaves on a lucky bamboo can be a sign of chlorine and mineral salts in the water. It can also indicate too much sun exposure and or too high temperatures. Use bottled water (spring or rain water) and change it every 1-2 weeks to avoid chlorine and minerals. This is one plant that you don’t have to worry about giving it enough light. They grow in the rain forest under a canopy and therefore do not require much light. Keep the plant at 70-80 degrees. If the stems are yellow and mushy-they are dead

• LISA JEFFERS

  May 12th, 2007 at 10:39 pm · Reply

  Windchime bamboo
  HI,MY DAUGHTER JUST GOT ME A LUCKY BAMBOO FOR MOTHERS DAY AND I’M ARAID IT’S A WHOLE NEW PLANT FOR ME.IT IS IN A VASE WITH THE JELLIED WATER BUT I READ THAT THEY CAN BE PUT IN DIRT.I WAS WANDERING HOW FAST THEY GROW AND IS THIS THE KIND OF BAMBOO LIKE WINDCHIMES ARE MADE FROM OR IS IT A DIFFERANT KIND?MY HUSBAND AND I WOULD LIKE TO START GROWING THE KIND WINDCHIMES ARE MADE FROM BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT KIND THAT IS.I HAVE MY LUCKY BAMBOO OUT ON MY FRONT PORCH,IS THIS OK OR SHOULD I KEEP IT IN THE HOUSE ONCE IT STARTS GETTING HOTTER OUTSIDE?ANY INFO YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE APPRECIATED.THANKS.

  Lucky bamboo is a relatively slow grower that is great in a room with little light. It prefers low light. Dracaena sanderiana named Lucky bamboo because it resembles bamboo, is different from the “windchimes” bamboo. I consider it a home decor plant and prefer to keep it indoors but it can also go outdoors in the shade. The type of bamboo used for wind chimes is in the Phyllostachys family eg. Phyllostachys flexuosa, P. bambusoides

• Amanda

  July 2nd, 2007 at 9:54 am · Reply

  Replanting lucky bamboo
  Hi, I’ve got a question. I have had my bamboo plant for 10 months, and she is still pretty healthy. She is now growing baby shoots at the very bottom of her stalk, right in the same area as her roots. I would like to keep them growing, but the container I have her in (an Arizona Tea bottle) is becoming too small, as the baby shoots are currently growing horizontally. Is it ok for the shoots to be growing that low on her stalk? I have her in a lot of water, and I am afraid that they may not break the surface. I would also like to put her in a larger pot or container, but I’m not sure what to use. I do not have her in soil. Do you have advice and/or suggestions? Also, she has recently been growing new, different roots. They are very tiny, green, and hooked like little claws. Does this mean she wants to be planted in soil? Please help! Thanks.

  It sounds like your plant is happy, healthy and producing babies. You can replant it in a larger container (glass would work). Fill the bottom with 2 inches of decorative rocks or marbles, place your bamboo on top and add more rocks to hold the stalks in place. Add water to your container filling just above the rocks, the roots will then grow into the rocks where the water is. The baby shoots can eventually be removed(when they get some roots) and used as new plants. You can replant your bamboo in well-drained potting soil but its not necessary.

• Avy

  November 8th, 2007 at 11:28 am · Reply

  BROWN LEAF TIPS, WHITE CRUST, YELLOW STALKS…

  OK so we have this plant at our office that i take care of. I am temp here, and the plant has been here for 2 years, now that I am here the leaves are turning brown at the ends, look weak, and some of the leaves are yellow. Am I watering it TOO much? It is in a container with only water and pebbles. I heard not to give it tap water so i have washed out the water and put in bottled water a few days ago, when i did this i noticed there is a salty looking crust at the bottome of the stalks near the water, that will crumble off if you touch it. ALSO they were giving it tap water for 2 years, and never had a problem with it, so do you think that I was just giving it too much water? I was filling up the water to the top of the containter which makes some of the stalk emersed…. Please help, if this plant dies I will feel so bad!

  Hi
  The crusty residue is soluble salt accumulation from the tap water. Chances are that the “salty” tap water is starting to have an effect on the leaves and therefore some are turning yellow and browning. You can trim off the yellow leaves but yellow stalks cannot be saved and need to be removed from the container. The water should be changed at least monthly. Fill the container with only a few inches of water enough to cover the roots. Higher water levels can promote excess root growth along the stem.

• Mary

  December 1st, 2007 at 6:48 am · Reply

  TRIMMING ROOTS

  I am plant sitting a bamboo plant that is in a glass container with water only. The roots are very thick and half-way up the glass container, which is about 18″ high. I never had a bamboo plant, but now am paying attention to how they should look. The ones I’ve seen are very clean looking in the container – not filled with stringy roots. Should these be left alone or trimmed? Thanks.

  You can trim them up to 1/3 if you find them too crowded or unsightly. Trim away the roots higher up on the stem and leave the ones lower in the water alone. You may be filling the container too high causing roots to form higher up on the stems. Keep the water level at 3-5 inches.

  2008-4-1 @ 9:04:46 pm
  Shannon ( Skylar7170@hotmail.com / )
  If I cut the roots of my bamboo because it is over taking the planter. Will it die?

  Trim a little at a time. Cut off the dried, darker roots avoiding the white, healthy feeder roots. If you trim too much at once , the plant may not be able to uptake water and die.

• Sanjay S

  December 3rd, 2007 at 4:30 am · Reply

  Number of Stalks
  I have a lucky bamboo with 17 stem, can you please tell me what his symbolizes.
  Thanks,
  Sanjay S

  Whether the number of stems are part of Feng-Shui or a marketing angle, certain numbers have specific meaning but even that has conflicting interpetations. Here are some of the meaning for the number of stalks. Two – Love, 3 -happines (another 3 or 6 attracts happiness), 5 – wealth, 6- luck,health 7 -good health, 8-thrive,growth, wealth, 9- good forutne, 10 – perfection, 21- multiple of 3 x 7 – is very powerfull all-purpose blessing. Your number being 17. Take 7-good health and 10- perfection and you have perfect health. Or get 4 more stems and that will give you 21 for a major powerful blessing. You should avoid 4 stalks however, because the Chinese word for death sounds similar to the word four.

• Bill H

  January 4th, 2008 at 9:56 am · Reply

  I got a lucky bamboo plant about a year ago as a gift. It spent about 8 months at home growing new shoots and leaves. When I brought it to my dorm room the leaves continues to grow, the plant looked great. Then I just brought it home for winter break and the plant hasnt been doing so well. Leaves started turning brown and yellow, other leaves started developing these spots on them which eventually killed the leaf. Then one of the stalks started turning yellow. I trimmed off all the bad leaves, and cut off the yellow part of the stalk, and then thinking maybe my plant was too big I put it in a bigger vase. In the process I washed off a lot of that jelly stuff you talked about in earlier comments. My plant was growing well for a year with tap water but I changed to bottled water thinking tap water might be the problem. After two weeks the yellow leaves and spots are still appearing. What is wrong with my plant? It looked to big and lush and now it looks all skimpy from all the plucked leaves. How did my plant go from so good to so bad? Please help!

  Lucky bamboo can start to yellow after being in water for more than 6 months. Now this doesn’t happen all the time. Some plants stay in water for a few years without any problems. Once the stem starts to yellow then it is a goner. Yellowing leaves can be cut off. The leaves may be browning from the dry indoor air but it also sounds as if there is a fungal/ bacterial disease present. Change the water every two weeks and clean the container with soap. Give the plant an aspirin and hope for the best. There is some research being done that indicates that aspirin can boost the natural defenses (SAR) when sprayed on the plant.

• Kat M

  January 16th, 2008 at 8:24 pm · Reply

  if the very top of the plant (where the wax is) has dried out, is there any way to save the rest of the plant from browning and drying out. For example, if I cut the dry section off and re-seal it with wax. I have seen a lot of explanations for why a plant browns but I am yet to find a solution. Thanks, Kat

  You can cut off the brown dried out part up to healthy green stem and either let it callus or heal naturally or cover it with wax. I have done both and it works. Make sure you use a clean, sharp knife when making the cut.

• Willy

  January 23rd, 2008 at 2:58 pm · Reply

  Lucky bamboo w/ fish

  I may be giving my plant too much water, I cant imagine its getting too much light as the sun never shines through my window. It may also be the water I am using, I read they dont like water straight from the faucet. The stalks seem to be healthy, although one started turning yellow at the top. I cut the yellow part off and now the stalk seems to be doing okay. I havent fertilized it yet, but I might try that if it doesnt seem to be getting any better. I also had another question though. I know lucky bamboo is a water lily relative so it does okay living in just water and pebbles. But is this plant poisonous to fish? Ive read that it is but ive also seen reports and pictures where fish appear to be okay. The reason I ask is I saw someone with a lucky bamboo in a fish bowl and a betta swimming around it, and it was very cool looking so id love to try it. But if its harmful to the fish i dont want to. This is a picture of the bowl: http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/enlarge.php/897

  Some sites say they have done it and there fish is okay, others say the roots will poison the fish. I think the fish and plant would work well together, the fish waste fertilizing the plant naturally, and the plant giving the fish a habitat, but thats only if it doesnt kill the fish

  Thanks for sending the picture. It’s the first time I have seen this combination. Creating this eco-system of plant and fish is a great idea not to mention a good conversation piece. I have seen it with other plants but not lucky bamboo. Apparently it is not toxic to the fish. You will have to feed the fish. It will not survive feeding on the roots of the plant, although the plant will benefit from the fish “fertilizer”. A round bowl works best so that the stalk are not completely immersed in water. Another suggestion I read was to put the plant in a separate container (narrow vase) and place it inside the fish bowl-that way you can easily clean the bowl when needed. If your bamboo came in a gel-like substance, make sure you wash that off before placing it in the fish bowl. Here’s a good blog for the info you’re looking for.http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/crafts/msg0312162319466.html

• Summer

  February 11th, 2008 at 8:41 pm · Reply

  Hello, I have a lucky bamboo that was given to me about 2 weeks ago. It was healthy, green and no problems. I changed it’s water yesterday using tap water and today I notice one of the leaf is a yellowy green so it’s basically in the middle of turning yellow and being green. It’s not completely yellow. I read that is caused from using tap water and direct sunlight, which is what I exposed it in. I just put it away from dresser and on my night stand and changed the water to a purified water. So my question is, do I need to cut off that leaf that is in the midst of turning yellow or should I leave it and it will recover on its own?

  Wait and see what happens. The leaf may be yellow-green because of too much light and may green up in less light. It will need some time to readjust. If the leaf turns completely yellow /brown then cut it off. It is not unusual for a leaf to turn yellow, as long as the stalk is green and healthy, you have nothing to worry about.

• angela

  April 10th, 2008 at 5:48 pm · Reply

  I noticed some small black spots on the stalks of my Lucky bamboo. It looks like some type of fungus/mold. Is there something I can do to remedy this?

  The black spots are a sign of fungal/bacterial infection. The best recommendation is to change the water, rinse the plant and wash the container with a 10% bleach solution(1 part bleach to 10 parts water). There are some recommendations to put an aspirin in the water. I haven’t tried it.

  jerry ( ursahoribl@cox.net / )
  My wife’s bamboo is developing brown rusty looking spots at the base of the leaves and a few black spots on the stems. The cane also has a dark spot about the size of a dime. Cause for worry? What can be done about this?

  It sounds llike the start of some kind of fungal or bacterial disease. Change the water and replace it with distilled water every 2 weeks. If the spots increase in size then it may not be saved. You can try to save the healthy part of the stem by cutting it with a knife (dipped in alcohol) and rerooting that part of the stem to make a new plant.

• Mathew T.A

  June 16th, 2008 at 5:50 am · Reply

  where should i keep the lucky bamboo in my house { i mean which corner of the house and which room}?

  Hi Mathew
  The nice thing about Lucky bamboo is that you can keep it in any low light spot in the house. It does not require or want direct sun, that is why its a popular plant to grow in an office setting, where there is no sun only flourescent lights. North or East side in the house any room with indirect light will do.

• Sara

  June 25th, 2008 at 6:17 am · Reply

  Hi
  I have 2 bamboo shoots grown in a glass vase with some marble pieces and water. The stalks are curled at the top and lately I’ve noticed that the highly curved areas are becoming paler than the usual green.Would this be considered as yellow stalks?I usually keep it indoors but every couple of days i bring it close to a window but not in direct light. I’ve heard that the marble pieces are made of calcium carbonate. Could that be toxic to the plants if it’s available in the water?

  Hi Sara
  I don’t think the marble pieces will harm the plant. Your “highly curved areas” on the bamboo may have a paler color from being exposed to more light. Bamboo leaves will lighten up with more light exposure. Yellow dying stalks tend to slowly shrivel and eventually turn brown. Hopefully, its not the latter.

• Christine

  July 2nd, 2008 at 9:56 pm · Reply

  Can I boil water, instead of going out to buy distilled water and is fish poop food good for the plant ?

  Hi Christine
  You don’t need distilled water for your lucky bamboo just spring, or rain water. Boiled water will also work. I would think that its ok to use fish poop in the form of a compost tea as long as you don’t use too much. They don’t need a lot of fertilizer.

• Lucy

  July 14th, 2008 at 10:11 pm · Reply

  We have a 3 feet lucky bamboo, its very large. I realize that there are many spider mites. Its creepy.Can you tell us what should we do and how can we prevent it?

  Hi Lucy
  Spider mites love hot, dry conditions and reproduce rapidly. Try insecticidal soap, spray weekly for 3 weeks. Here’s a home recipe 1TBSP of pine sol to 1 gal. of water. spray on the plant weekly until gone.

• McKenzie

  July 17th, 2008 at 11:12 am · Reply

  hi, i wondering if you knew why i have black spotts on my bamboo? i can not figure out what it is but it is brand new bamboo and i do not know if the black spotts will kill it.
  PLEASE HELP ME!!

  The black spots may be a sign of fungal/bacterial infection. The best recommendation is to change the water, rinse the plant and wash the container with a 10% bleach solution(1 part bleach to 10 parts water). There are some recommendations to put an aspirin in the water. I haven’t tried it.

• Thomas

  July 30th, 2008 at 10:45 pm · Reply

  Can Lucky Bamboo be grown in dirt or must it be in water? I bought is from the store potted in about a 14 inch deep pot that is 4 inches in diameter. I have 10 stalks in this put which are all nice and green and 1-3 tall. Also do you reccommend removing the leaves that are forming at the first and second joints on the top of each stalk?

  Hi Thomas
  It can be grown in either soil or water. Since it is in soil treat it like any other houseplant (don’t overwater it). Removing the leaves is a personal decision. Most bamboos have a cluster of leaves at the top. If you remove the top leaves the plant may send out new leaf shoots on other parts of the stalk.

• TB

  August 1st, 2008 at 7:49 am · Reply

  I want to replant my lucky bamboo in water and sea glass. Is it okay to do this?

  Hi TB
  Yes, you can plant it in water. If you are replanting from a potted plant be sure to wash off all the soil. Fill the bottom with 2 inches of decorative sea glass and place your bamboo on top and add more to hold the stalks in place. Add water to your container filling just above the rocks, the roots will then grow into the sea glass where the water is.

• Bill Tadevich

  August 27th, 2008 at 12:23 pm · Reply

  Root question:
  Background – I’ve had my L.B. about 4 years. It has grown several feet in height, I have cut some sections that looked worse and new growth came out the sides. It has sent new stalks up from the root base which have grown well. I used to use a few drops of Schultz 2-7-7 Cactus Plus about 1X per month.
  Now the question: My root ball is topped with green feather like growth (quite a bit of it). It looks like a water plant – it is not slimy, but more leafy. I have never seen this on any LB image and am curious if it is common. I would be happy to post/ email a photo. Thanks

  HI Bill
  Interesting, I have not heard of this type of growth pattern. Perhaps the roots are sending out more new leaves, like the stalks it sent out from the root base.

• Shelli

  August 30th, 2008 at 3:07 pm · Reply

  Hoping you can help with my lucky bamboo plant! My mother in law gave it to me and it looked wonderful for about 9 mos. We changed the water about every three weeks and it was growing like crazy. Looked great!

  When summer came, we turned on our evaporative cooler (sometimes called a swamp cooler). Sort of like an air conditioner, but it cools the air with water and blows the cooled air into the house thru a vent. The vent is in the same room as the lucky bamboo plant. Anyway after about a month or so, the leaves turned yellow. We tried moving it to a different room, but that didn’t help. We thought that maybe there was too much moisture in the air from the swamp cooler. But now suspect that adding bleach to the water a few times during the summer (if the water stands in the cooler for sever days it can get mildewy and stinky) may have affected the plant.

  Anyway, we decided to cut off all of the leaves at the stalk with sharp scissors, thinking that new leaves would grow similar to when you prune other plants and bushes. But it has been almost a month and there is no sign of new growth. The areas where we cut have hardened over, similar to the top of each stalk.
  The stalks are still fairly green and we have continued to change the water and rinse the roots.
  Is there anything we need to do to promote new leaf growth?

  Hi Shelli
  To get your bamboo to send out another shoot -cut off the top of the stalk. Cut it 1/4-1/2 ” above the highest node(ring). The tip will callus (harden over). YOu can cover the cut tip with wax to protect it from disease. The cut area will send a signal to the plant to produce a new bud. If you notice most lucky bamboo plants have the leafy growth toward the top of the stem.

• Lori

  September 22nd, 2008 at 8:06 am · Reply

  I think I have root rot on my newly acquired plant. The story goes that I bought one shoot at the fair with no container. So I put it in a glass of water (possibly too much) and left it for a week. Then I moved it to another container with less water and now about a 1/8 of the base of the plant is black and it is starting to get into the roots. The taproot is above the node (the white, now black, ring) which I think is a good thing since that part is green. And the rest of it is green as well. I need an explanation of this issue. Can I cut the decay off along with the affected roots? Will more roots grow? Or is it hopeless? I need to know asap!!! Also.. how do you create a drainage system for these plants if they cannot be submersed in water?

  HI Lori
  I am asuming that you are referring to a Lucky bamboo. It can grow in water for several years. You can cut off the diseased part above a healthy node and take off a little extra to make sure you get everything. Put the cut portion in a clean vase or glass with about 2″ of water. You should see some new roots within a month.

• MEL

  September 28th, 2008 at 10:55 am · Reply

  I bought my lucky bamboo from a chinese woman at an asian festival about 3 or 4 months ago. I live in Chicago. It came in a clay pot with rocks. I keep it on my window sill that gets some filtered direct light for a few hours and water it with tap water. It has more than doubled it’s size and is green and healthy. I want to know when I should replant it in a new pot since it is so healthy, yet growing quickly. I bought a new pot that is about 2 or 3 inches bigger and I have rocks to put ino it, but I’m not sure I should replant now or wait for a change in the plant in order to replant. Also a florest told me that replanting any plant can be traumatic. Any ideas?

  Are you planning on planting it in soil? or just a larger container of water?

• Stacey

  October 1st, 2008 at 10:41 pm · Reply

  Hello- I need help! I live away from home and when my parents were visiting, my mother bought a bamboo plant and gave it to me! It is in a tiny ceramic pot that is decorated with a little Chinese fisherman on it. I have taken very good care of it, and it has grown tall healthy baby stalks from its roots. However, I see the rocks are sinking after some time!! Can I add more or do I need to repot?? I want to keep the same container, so if I clean it out, HOW DO I DO THIS without breaking or harming the stalks?!?! I know one stalk can be thrown out, it came brown brown and dead. Please help!! I am scared to remove it for fear I will harm it!!

  Hi Stacey
  Is your lucky bamboo in soil or water. If it is in water – the rocks are there mainly for an anchor and the roots are growing under and over them that’s why they may look like they are sinking. You can add more rocks but it isn’t necessary. What you probably need to do is add more water. First of all remove the brown dead stalk as that can riun the rest and pour out any water. Flush the contianer several times with water and then pour it out again. Unless your container had a foul smell this should clean it out. After a few flushes add fresh water 2-3 inches high just enough to cover the roots. If you want to remove all the contents, simply take out the bamboo stalks and and stones, clean the container and stones and then replace 2/3 of the stones first, then stalks and the rest of the stones to anchor the stalks.

• MEL

  October 2nd, 2008 at 10:38 am · Reply

  Mel from Chicago: Since my plant is faring well in water with rocks, I want to continue with that, but should I wait or is it o.k. to do so now. By the way thanks for all your knowledge. This plant is the first live plant I’ve had for more than 2 months that I didn’t kill

  Hi Mel
  You can grow your lucky bamboo in water for a number of years. Some have better luck than others. I have mine in water for 2 years and its still healthy & growing.

• Adriana

  October 21st, 2008 at 11:34 am · Reply

  i have a question. i have had a lucky bamboo for 2months, i think he is getting a little to big for the container, the roots are starting to stick up out of the pebbles and some are starting to stick up against the glass…does this mean that i need to get him a bigger container? thanks

  Hi Adriana
  I don’t think you need to transplant it at this time. The fun of growing it in a glass container is seeing all those interesting roots growing and knowing that your plant is actually growing. You can add a few more pebbles if you like. If the stalk is getting too big and awkward for the container then change it. Otherwise wait till spring to do anything.

• Lenai

  November 2nd, 2008 at 1:24 pm · Reply

  Hi, the glass vase that my lucky bamboo is in has bad water stains just above the water level where its evaporated. I want to wash them away with vinegar, but don’t know if its harmful to plant, or if I should just move plant to new vase. Also, I’ve read in the other postings that there should only be 2 inches of water around roots, I have more than that, and I have a new shoot growing from the bast of the original one that is completely submerged in water, should I drain the water so the leaves aren’t submerged or wait till they grow above it on their own?

  Hi Lenai
  Remove the whole plant from the glass vase. Clean your vase with vinegar and be sure to rinse it well before replacing everything back into the vase. The new shoot will eventually work its way up on its own or you can help it by lowering the water level a bit. The water stain are most likely cause by soluble salts evaporated from the water.

• Karen Lewsader

  December 14th, 2008 at 2:01 pm · Reply

  How do I get rid of the hard, white, crusty substance forming around the stalks of my Lucky Bamboo plant? I have never given it tap water and believe it may be a fungus.

  Hi Karen
  Is the bamboo stalk healthy and green? If in fact it is a fungus, you will have to cut the stalk at least an inch above the fungus to remove it as it is feeding on the stalk. Clean the container with 10% bleach solution and rinse well so there is no bleach residue. Usually crusty substance is a result of mineral deposits (soluble salt accumulation). If that is the case, rinse the stalk and change the water.

• melissa

  December 30th, 2008 at 8:00 pm · Reply

  I was wondering If i could send someone a picture and they could maybe circle on paint where I have to cut the plant, becuase im very new to plants and i have no idea what im doing, my friend gave it to me since shes moving and it has a bacteria infection (like a white and grey coloring on top of the soil) and is it better for soil or water for the lucky bamboo?

  Hi Melissa
  If the stalks on your Lucky bamboo healthy and green then the grey and white coloring on top of the soil may just be salt accumulation and not a bacterial infection. MOld or a fungus can grow on the soil surface if it is kept too wet. You can scrape both off the soil surface. If not let me know.

• Brad

  January 5th, 2009 at 3:32 pm · Reply

  I have just recently purchased 5 stalks of lucky bamboo and had a question about creating new buds on the stalks. From all the pictures i have seen and the way mine are growing, each stalk has only 1 bud coming off of it that is growing leaves. Is there a way you can start new buds on a stalk so there can be more than 1 spot on a stalk that will sprout leaves off of it. Thanks

  Hi Brad
  To get your bamboo to send out another shoot -cut off the top of the stalk. Cut it 1/4-1/2 ” above the highest node(ring). The tip will callus (harden over). The cut area will send a signal to the plant to produce a new bud. If you notice most lucky bamboo plants have the leafy growth toward the top of the stem and usually one leafy shoot.

• KATIE

  January 8th, 2009 at 2:47 pm · Reply

  You stated above that you shouldn’t use distilled water. I have been on many other websites that require distilled water for this plant, and not spring water. So I went out and bought a gallon. Why is it different on your page? I’m worried now, because one of the stalks is completely yellow, with one little green leaf. Am I able to remove the stalk from the other two so they don’t get infected?

  Hi Katie
  The difference between distilled water and spring water is that spring water has some nutrients that can be used by the plant, whereas distilled water has none. All minerals & metals have been removed in the distilling process. It’s not to say that you can’t use distilled water but it has no nutritional value to your Lucky Bamboo and supplimental food will be needed. The important thing is both do not contain chlorine and flouride which lucky bamboo cannot tolerate. If the stalk is yellowing, it isn’t because of spring water. Rainwater is also a good alternative. Remove the yellowing stalk from the others and rinse the roots and change the water. Hopefully, the other two will flourish.

• Lisa

  January 9th, 2009 at 11:04 am · Reply

  This question may sound a little silly, but I was wondering if it would be beneficial to my lucky bamboo if I used water straight out of my fish tank to add to the plant. There seems to be belief that fish “fertilizer” is a good idea, and I’m currently out of liquid plant food. I like the idea of having a fish in the same bowl with the plant, but I doubt that fish food is completely safe for the bamboo. Thank you.

  Hi Lisa
  Scroll up and See the comment on 1/23/08 by Willy about fish and lucky bamboo.

• Mickey

  January 15th, 2009 at 8:25 pm · Reply

  I cut my lucky bamboo as described, below a ring, because the leaves were very discoloured. I moved it so a better location and cut the section with discoloured leaves off and discarded it leaving only stalk. This was about 2 months ago but I haven’t seen any new leaf shoots yet. Is there something else I should be doing.

  Hi Mickey
  Patience is a virtue. Lucky bamboo can be slow to send out any shoot (if any). You may get a better response closer to spring time.

• sushila

  January 22nd, 2009 at 7:40 am · Reply

  i got my plant a year back.it was doing fine,butfrom the last few weeks its leaves r getting yellow rapidily.tis stalks r green and new rootsr also growing.what shoula i do to save my plant.please its urgent.ti is4 feet tallcan it grow new shoots.my plant is curly.

  Hi Sushila
  No need to panic – as long as the stalks are green and roots are growing. The stalk may send out a new leaf shoot at another node. Sometimes you can cut or trim part of the stalk to stimulate new leaf shoots.

• Jennie Bean

  January 24th, 2009 at 3:15 am · Reply

  I got three lucky bamboo plants a few years back and so far, there is absolutely nothing wrong with them that I can see, feel, or smell. But recently I moved into a home where people smoke cigarettes indoors all day long. Is this going to have a negative effect on my plants?

  Hi Jennie
  I would worry more about second smoke exposure than the plants. I don’t think it will be affected by incidental cigarette smoke exposure. A NASA* study for indoor air improvement, proved that houseplants are effective in removing chemical vapors and toxic gases indoors. Plants with lots of leaf surface have a higher transpiration rate and are more effective in improving air quality. Lucky bamboo will contribute to cleaner indoor air but at a lesser rate. “Eco-friendly plants”/Wolverton

• Megan

  January 25th, 2009 at 12:51 pm · Reply

  Hey, i just bought a bamboo stalk from a store. I have it in a glass jar with those glass rock things from craft stores. It’s very long and has a big healthy leaf shoot.
  The only issue is that it and it’s fellow bamboo stalks all had brownish/orangy roots. Is that what they look like naturally and will this go away with proper care?

  Hi Megan
  The brownish/orangy roots are not an issue-that’s normal. Mine are the same. They are the older roots.

• Michelle

  January 30th, 2009 at 10:57 am · Reply

  I’ve had lucky bamboo for a few years now, without any problems. I was tickled when one of my pair grew a new sprout after a cat knocked it completely off of the ledge and the stem broke.

  My problem is with my other stalk – I had it on another ledge by itself, and yes, a cat decided that it wanted to “share space” and knocked it over, but not down. I rescued it and refilled the water, leaving it by my other plants (and other stalk) by my sink.

  Soon after, the top leaves browned, as did the stem, about a quarter of the way down the stem. It is not all the way around, as the browning was interrupted at the other leaf node. The brown area is squishy and recently became afflicted with brown specks.

  I’ve recently cleaned the container and changed out the water, using filtered water instead of from the tap like I had been. The browning stopped spreading but shows no sign of repairing itself. Will it ever? Our water is extremely hard, but it has not appeared to affect any of my other plants, nor the other lucky bamboo stalk.

  Will patience be my best virtue here? If not, is it possible to salvage the living leaf shoot? There is disease above and below it, and would require cutting on an angle, instead of straight across.

  Hi Michelle
  Once the lucky bamboo stalk starts to turn yellow/brown there is no saving it. You can try to cut off the leaf shoot and root it either in water or soil. If that fails know that you did all you could.

• vardin

  February 7th, 2009 at 9:49 am · Reply

  i have a lucky bamboo plant with 4 tier arrangement….i got it 2 months back….iam not able to see any growth in them till now???whats the reason???
  some of the stalks dont have roots too……..some stalks are in brown color at their bottom….shud i remove them??
  one of the stalk is greenish yellow…so i have taken out and planted in soil…is that a good idea…..plz reply

  Hi Vardin
  Lucky bamboo, like most plants will respond to more light and longer days-spring. Your arrangement may have just been put together and didn’t have enough of a root system to get going as you mentioned some don’t have roots. In time, they may still develop roots. Lucky bamboo tend to grow slowly which most people like otherwise you’d be cutting them back all the time. Once the greenish yellow stalk starts to turn yellow then its a goner. Any stalk that is brown and mushy should be removed from the rest. It may be an indicator that there is some disease. IF so, change the water and clean the container.

• Jose Rubero

  February 21st, 2009 at 11:29 am · Reply

  I just pruchased a Lucky Bamboo in a nice 4″ x 4″ wide vase with little stones on the top. I got it 6 days agoand today when I watered it the water just sits on top of the stones and dosen’t drain down into the vase. Is this normal? Will the water drain down? I stuck my finger in into the stones and they go down pretty deep. How long before the water drains?
  Thank you
  Jose

  Sometimes when the stones are packed too closely together they produce a barrier making water difficult for water to drain through. I would insert a “stick” into the stones to break up that barrier so the water can drain or remove some of the stones to loosen the space.

• vardin

  February 23rd, 2009 at 2:02 am · Reply

  hi…ihave a bamboo stalk …the bottom portion of the stalk is yellow color and top portion is green …even the leaves are dark green but there is no growth in the stalk…what shud i do.???can i cut off the yellow part and keep the remaining greenish part in water??will it develop new roots???
  in some of ur above posts you asked some one to apply wax on the top of the stalk…which wax should i use…??candle wax???is it okk???????plz reply….

  Cut off above the yellow part of the bamboo stalk far enough into the green section so you get all diseased parts and then some. Place the remaining green stem in a clean container with fresh water. It may or may not develop roots but its worth a try. If the newly cut portion starts to turn yellow then its a gonner. Wax is applied (but not necessary) on top of the cut that is exposed to the air not the part that goes into water. Any wax will do.

• sam

  March 14th, 2009 at 7:06 am · Reply

  if you put food coloring in your bamboo’s water will it change colors?

  Hi Sam
  I’m not sure if it would change color. The leaves may take on some color. Why don’t you try it and let us know what happened.

• sam

  March 22nd, 2009 at 5:21 pm · Reply

  How long will it takefor the leafs change color???I put red coloring in the water!!!Thats my favorite color!!!

  Hi Sam
  The leaves won’t turn completely red. You may see some red stripes on the leaves.

• Ray

  March 23rd, 2009 at 9:21 am · Reply

  I received a Lucky bamboo about 2yrs ago, in a 2″x2″ glass container. It seems to have gel in the bottom 1/2″ & then some black stone-like filler, topped by blue chalk-like pebbles. It has grown a healthy foot tall,the leaves are long, about 3″ & quite thin. I watered it (boiled water left over 2days) whenever it was down an inch or so. This is the 1st time I have read any comments for bamboo care & I noticed you advise changing the water- which I have not done at all! I definitely do not like the green algae on the bottom & am wondering if I can replace all those layers with a few decoratives marbles / stones? Should I also move into a bigger vase, leaving roots intact if there are none dead or mushy? How many years do these generally live?

• sam

  March 23rd, 2009 at 5:42 pm · Reply

  ok thanks but how long will it take for the stripes to form?????

  Sam, I don’t know how long it will take. Are you getting any color in the leaves? How long have they been in colored water? You might think about increasing the concentration of red dye, if you have a weak dose it will take longer. Sounds like you are learning about capillary action in plants. The color will not show up as intensely and quickly as it would if you used a white flower such as a carnation.

• BRUCE

  March 24th, 2009 at 5:10 pm · Reply

  PLANT IN SOIL

  PLEASE HELP I NEED TO REPLANT MY LUCKY BAMBOO IN SOIL HOW DO I DO THIS

  Plant your lucky bamboo just like any other houseplant. Place it in a pot that is 1-2 inches larger than the existing container. The container should have drainage holes at the bottom. Use a light pre-moistened potting soil mix specially formulated for houseplants. Water after planting and let the water drain from the bottom.
  If planted in soil lucky bamboo should be watered like a regular plant. Let the top inch dry and then water. Keeping it wet all the time will rot the roots.

• sam

  March 29th, 2009 at 5:32 am · Reply

  ok Kris I think that the water was colored for 2 weeks and i’m not getting any color. I did increase the color of red. So what should I do to get the color in the leaves??

  Hi Sam
  Since the plant has been in red food coloring for 2 weeks and your increased the concentration of the dye, then it may be that the plant will not show any significant leaf coloration. The coloration if any will be minimal. Color will not show up as well in green leaves as in a white flower. The only thing you can try is to increase the concentration of the dye and see what happens.

• Maya

  March 29th, 2009 at 6:52 pm · Reply

  Hi, I’ve had a bamboo for a year and a half and it’s grown a ton and started another shoot. I regularly change the water and wash off the rocks that keep it secured and about a month ago I switched it into a bigger vase since it’s so much taller. I just left for 8 days on spring break and when I came back some of the leaves have yellowed and there was a slimy black fungus growing on top of the rocks. It smelled like a mixture of dirt and crap (literally) and I almost puked it because it was so overwhelming. Any ideas of what caused it and how to get rid of it?

  Hi Maya
  Somehow, your vase/rocks got infected with some type of fungus. Did you change the type of water you use? Rinse the plant roots, clean out the vase and rocks with a 10% chlorine solution. Change the water more often until the plants recovers. I have also read that an aspirin can help. Hopefully, that will do the trick.

• vardin

  April 1st, 2009 at 9:18 am · Reply

  hi…i want my bamboo to grow fast…i bought it six months ago but iam not able to see gud growth…what shud be done to the bamboo to grow fast…..u were saying about aspirin in ur last post….how can aspirin help bamboo

  Hi Vardin
  Lucky bamboo are not meant to grow fast. In fact the stalk will stay the same and produce leaf shoots that will eventually get too tall and need to be trimmed. You may be able to encourage more leaf growth by adding some 1/2 strength houseplant fertilizer but be careful – too much will burn the plant.
  There is some research being done that indicates that aspirin can boost the natural defenses (SAR) when sprayed on the plant. It won’t make the plant grow any faster.

• sam

  April 1st, 2009 at 6:07 pm · Reply

  ok thanks but i have a question just like vardin a had my bamboo 4 a yr. and it hasn’t grown a bit should i something or will it just the same size????

  It usually stays the same size. There are other bamboo that will grow very fast but not lucky bamboo.

• Nicole J

  April 13th, 2009 at 10:39 am · Reply

  I have had my lucky bamboo plant for 4 years and now it has just overgrown with leaves and the stalks are thick. I do see where the tap water has made the leaves yellow but the stalks are a h,ealthy green. My question is a weird one: what do I do when I attempt to replant it and I discover they will not come out of the vase?! The roots have taken over and I cannot get them out at all. Should I break the vase?

  Hi Nicole
  If you don’t want to break the vase, try pulling out one stalk at a time, once you get one out then it may loosen up the others.

• Magdalena

  April 13th, 2009 at 11:28 am · Reply

  Hey, Wow… I couldn’t be more thankful for all this awesome information provided for everyone. I have 5 Lucky Bamboos downstairs in my room. It’s quite cool, and I have quite a small window, so theyre getting their fair share amount of light. The water, as you said no too much and changed every bit. But everytime I seem to buy new lucky bamboo’s and add it to the vase, they either die, or the ones I had before die. Why is that? Do I need to seperate them for a bit before and then add them to the tank?
  Thanks =)

  Hi Magdalena
  That’s very interesting. Your older lucky bamboo are rejecting the newcomers. It may be that the new one has some type of pathogen that it is resistant to but infects the older bamboo or perhaps the older ones are weaker and less resistant to any pathogens or visa versa. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this?

• ben

  April 21st, 2009 at 5:43 pm · Reply

  hey, i just got a lucky bamboo and it has like dried white substance on it. is this good or bad? how can i get rid of it if its bad?

  Hi Ben
  I’m not sure what that is. If you had the lucky bamboo for a while then I would say that the dried white substance could be salt accumulation from water. If the stems are healthy and green, then I would think its ok. You can always try to wash it off.

• Lindsay

  April 24th, 2009 at 6:16 pm · Reply

  Hi, I’ve just read about the Yellowing of stalks and when are like this they are dead. But how about if the end of a stalk is just started to turn Yellow? Can it be saved? Should I cut off the Yellow end?

  Hi Lindsay,
  Yes, I would cut off the yellow end. Cut beyond the yellowing part to make sure all the infected part is removed. It’s worth a try.

• Mat

  April 30th, 2009 at 11:32 pm · Reply

  Hello,
  2 stalks from my bamboo plant turned yellow , I removed it. Now my qus. is wheather the bamboo plant will be still lucky or do i need to change and buy new one?
  I changed by bamboo plants in the past as well.
  Please help on this.

  Hi Mat
  If you have any remaining bamboo stems, rinse out the water and container in case there is “something ” contaminating the container. The yellow stems are done, they will not recover.

  • mat

    May 12th, 2009 at 11:17 pm · Reply

    hello, Thanks for your response.
    Can you please tell me if my bamboo plant is still lucky to be used as fengshui cure and working OR do i need to buy a new one?
    Thanks
    Mat

• vardin

  May 1st, 2009 at 9:25 pm · Reply

  hi…the leaves of my bamboo plant are turning into yellow colour…how can i save them…im not able to find out the reason…what care shud be taken in summer for lucky bamboo???

  HI Vardin
  Lucky Bamboo leaves can turn yellow if they are exposed to too much sun (light) or watered with softened or flouridated water.Yellow leaves can be a sign of too much fertilizer whereas pale yellow leaves can also indicate that the plant need a light dose of fertilizer.

• BETH

  May 5th, 2009 at 3:05 pm · Reply

  The leaves of my year old bamboo plant look nice and green, but the stalks have turned yellow. I suppose I have to cut off the yellow part, but the yellow goes half way up a curled stalk. Can I salvage the curled stalk? Also, how does one make a stalk “curl?

  Hi Beth
  The only way to save the stalk is to cut off past the yellow part and there is still a chance that the rest of the stalk will turn yellow. Curling the stalk is a long process. One curl can take 1 year or more. It is done by exposing only one side of the stalk to light. When it turns toward the light then it is slightly rotated to keep the stalk turning toward the light until it forms a curl.

• vardin

  May 6th, 2009 at 6:56 am · Reply

  which ferilizer shud i use???

  I don’t have a specific fertilizer but if you have never fed your plant then use a houseplant fertilizer with 1/4 of the recommended dosage. A liquid fertilizer would work well. Be sure that your plant needs fertilizer. They require very little food and too much can cause soluble salt build up and yellow leaves. There are also some special lucky bamboo fertilizers sold on line.

• vardin

  May 6th, 2009 at 6:58 am · Reply

  can i use filterd water to ma bamboo

  Filtered water is fine to use.

• Vi

  May 8th, 2009 at 12:08 am · Reply

  hi. um out of the 12 Lucky Bamboo stalks that we have, 3 of them had a bunch of tiny black dots and i think it was the fungal/bacteria that was mentioned a few times before so i removed them…but then what do i do? We plant the bamboo in soil.

  Hi Vi
  You don’t have to plant the stalks in soil. Clean out the container with a 10% bleach solution to make sure the fungus doesn’t spread to the other stalks and place it back in the water.

• Natalie

  May 10th, 2009 at 7:40 pm · Reply

  Hi there, I need some help with my lucky bamboo!!

  It is sitting in water with rocks and I always sit my water out 24 hours or longer before changing it.

  I am noticing the stalks starting to shrivel at the top, however they are still nice and solid looking at the bottom. What is causing this? How can I fix it before it starts to shrivel more and turn yellow.

  Please advise.

  Thank you,

  Natalie

• Vi

  May 15th, 2009 at 12:01 am · Reply

  Does it have to be in water? Because we got the plant when it was in soil…or does the bamboo prefer water?
  thanks

  Hi Vi
  No, you lucky bamboo doesn’t need to be in water. They grow just as well if not better in soil.

• CC

  May 17th, 2009 at 8:55 am · Reply

  Hello,

  I was reading the questions others posted and your response. They were all very helpful but I have a question that I don’t see listed above. Even though I am thinking of switching from water to soil, that’s not a major concern for me. I’ve had my plant for more than 3 years, given to me on Valentine’s Day by my husband, the plant is gorgeous and has been thriving in water all this time. My question is this. It is currently in the same vase it was in 3 years ago. I read from earlier postings that the new container should be no more than 1-2 inches larger than the current one. So since my container is tall and the plant has grown “up”, does that mean I can’t put it in a wide container? Do I need to find a another vase but only taller? I want my plant to grow “out” now. Can I repot it in a regular “round” pot now and should be the pot be fairly large or is a small one ok?

• Lau

  May 23rd, 2009 at 6:29 pm · Reply

  Hi,
  Just a question from my grandmother, she has had her lucky bamboo for about 3 yrs its grown really tall almost hitting the roof in her house, she would like to know if you can trim the stems down and will it still grow back???

  If this is a lucky bamboo then yes, you can cut the foliage back and the stems. See propagating bamboo. The normally do not get that tall-so I’m wondering if this is a different plant were talking about.

• KHURRAM

  June 9th, 2009 at 2:05 am · Reply

  Hi i have just bought a nice 2 meter tall lucky bamboo from a friend, the plant leaves were nice & erect at my frinds place but as soon as i shifted them to my place i have noticed the leaves starting to become weak & are hanging down like there’s no life in them.
  does the plant need more light, or do i just need to water them as the soil is somewhat still wet.

  Perhaps you are watering it too much. If the soil is wet and the plant is wilted then there is some root problem. Let the top 2 inches of soil dry out before watering again.

• Lant Su

  June 19th, 2009 at 3:23 pm · Reply

  I have had a lucky bamboo growing in the same vase of water and rocks for 9 years. I had to trim it once, the piece i cut off died in a glass of water after a couple months. It needs trimming again, and I was wondering what the best idea would be to do with the 2 ft piece i cut off so it doesnt die. Also, I was wondering if I should leave the rest of the original in the vase. The vase hasnt been cleaned in the 9 yrs, but the plant still seems healthy.

  Are you trimming the leaf shoot or the stalk?

• Lant Su

  June 20th, 2009 at 4:05 pm · Reply

  I need to cut one of the stalks off, its way too tall and leans badly, needs a new vase. I don’t trim the leaves very often, unless discolored. Where should I cut the long stalk off, and should I put some rocks in the bottom of the new vase before putting it in there?

  See propagating lucky bamboo. You don’t need to put rocks on the bottom, other than decorative purposes, rocks are used to keep the stem in place.

• Shanna

  June 29th, 2009 at 1:32 pm · Reply

  Can you tell me if Lucky Bamboo is poisonous to cats? If it is what is the toxicity of it?
  Thanks!

  Lucky bamboo, known as Draceana sanderiana is listed as a poisonous plant to animals. “It is reported as having systemic effects on animals and/or intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract.” aspca
  Some other symptoms are dilated pupils, abdoninal pain, dyspnea (shortness of breath), tachycardia and hypersalivation. Call the National Animal Poison Control Center (888)4-Anihelp. Go to aspca.org for additional info.

• Vee P

  June 29th, 2009 at 6:30 pm · Reply

  I’ve noticed small black spots on the stem of one of my lucky bamboo stalks. I skimmed through the comments left here, but the replies for when other people ask similar questions seem to be about mold or fungus. I’m almost definitely sure that this is no type of mold or fungus, since it hasn’t spread onto the other two lucky bamboo stalks right next to it, nor does it look like a mold or fungus that you would see on a plant. It may be bacterial, but the rate of spread seems far too slow to be something like that (there is noticeable change only if you look at it in one month intervals). The new shoots are all fine, and the plant and roots look healthy overall, but the black spots still seem slightly awkward. I’ve been changing the water every other week, and I’ve changed containers several times since I’ve seen these spots, but nothing seems to make it improve.

  Also, on another plant, I noticed that there are heavy lines forming on one of the older shoots… It’s barely over two inches tall now, and it seemed fine, until about a week ago. I think the closest thing I can think of that has a similar texture would be the leaves of a leek. This condition exists on only one shoot from the plant, and all the other shoots and all other plants do not have this condition.

  Any tips?

• Margie

  July 1st, 2009 at 8:39 am · Reply

  Reading all the comments, questions, and responses were helpful and informative, but I still have a question. Can you have lucky bamboo in too much water? I recently chnaged out the vase because my 3 stalks were too tall. They are currently in a tall, wide vase with just a few rocks and mostly water. I now know that the tap water is turning the leaves yellow and I will take care of that, but can they have too much water? Do they prefer to have their roots crowded?

  Hi Margie
  Lucky bamboo like a few inches of water. If the stem remains at a higher level, it can develop roots along the stem. Its good to occasionally trim the roots if they are crowded. My bamboo roots are crowded and they are doing just fine but I do trim them on occasion.

• Missy

  July 28th, 2009 at 11:53 am · Reply

  I just purchased a one stem curly bamboo located in a long tall vase in my office. The previous plant I had died. Apparently, there was no room for the roots to grow inbetween the rocks. My question is how do I keep the plant standing in the water if I can’t use the rocks for stability?

• mattttt

  July 31st, 2009 at 9:44 pm · Reply

  hi, i’ve had my lucky bamboo for abour 4 years now ans it been through a few rough times, but it been growing well, it now 1.2 meters high with 4 new branche comming of them, i’vve alway kept it in soin and watered it with tap water untill a few weeks ago when some white crystal/powder substance becan forming on the leaves ( not the stalks) i’ve wiped the stuff off and watered my plant with tap water left out in the sun for several days but the stuff keeps forming on the leaves ( which are now turning yellow/brown and dying)
  please help me, i dont know whats wrong and how to fix it

  Hi Matt
  I’m not sure what the crystal/powder substance is. My guess is that it may be powdery mildew. Place the plant where it can get more air circulation and try spraying with a baking soda solution or a milk solution of 1/3 milk and 2/3 water and spray on plants. Use every other day.
  By placing the bambo in sun can cause the leaves to turn yellow/brown

• Danielle

  August 2nd, 2009 at 2:35 pm · Reply

  Hi,
  I’ve had my L.B. plant for well over a year now and she has grown several stalks that are about a foot tall now on the main stalks. I’ve worked with spider plants and I was curious if I do the same with these extra stalks I want to replant. Do I cut them off, or tear them off and place them in a cup of water till they grow roots and then replant them? OR is it safe to take them off and just replant them in water. I don’t want to do soil if at all possible. The water and stones seem to be doing just fine for the mother plant.

  Hi Danielle
  I would cut them off. see http://hortchat.com/info/can-lucky-bamboo-be-propagated#comments

• jacqueline

  September 18th, 2009 at 9:06 am · Reply

  hello!~
  i’ve had my bamboo plant in the glass vase and stone since i bought it over a yr ago.
  i would like to replant it in a larger container. may i just remove it from the old container and replant it in another larger glass container with stones.
  or
  has it been in water too long and needs soil??
  it is very happy right now, i thought maybe it could use some room to grow
  thank you for your time!~

  Hi Jacqueline
  Lucky bamboo can thrive and grow in water for several years. If your plant is happy and growing well, then leave well enough alone. If the roots seem to be too crowded, you can always trim the roots up to 1/3 of their length to give them more room regrow.

• ALI

  September 19th, 2009 at 12:05 pm · Reply

  Yellow stalk
  Hi,
  I bought a lucky bamboo and have had it for about 3 weeks and I have changed the water once. After changing the water, the middle began to turn yellow and shrivel up. What caused this? and can it be saved or should I cut it and try to let the top grow roots?

  HI Ali
  It’s difficult to say what caused the yellowing stalk but once it starts to turn yellow, it cannot be saved. Remove it from the others. If you have a healthy portion of the stalk, you can cut it off and try to root it in a separate container.

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