Lucky Bamboo plants, which really aren’t bamboo but a variation of the Dracaena plant, are popular not only to cultivate in your home, but as a gift because of the good fortune they are said to bring to a home.
Structurally these plants are very dramatic, often with the stalks swirling in curlicues or braided. The number of stalks in your plant is said to represent various blessings in Feng Shui – two is for romance, three for happiness, five for peace and balance, nine for good luck. (However, you will rarely find a plant with four stalks; in Cantonese the word for four sounds too similar to the word for death for it to be lucky.)
One of the reasons for the lucky bamboo’s popularity is its ease of care. Whether you’re a seasoned plant enthusiast or just starting your indoor plant journey, caring for lucky bamboo is simple. Here are a few tips to keep your plant thriving:
Water or Soil? This plant will thrive in well-drained, rich potting soil, but you can also cultivate it in a vase filled with water, as long as it has at least an inch of standing water at all times. However, any water you use with the Lucky Bamboo needs to be filtered, distilled, or bottled water, not tap (the chemicals and minerals in typical tap water is harmful to this plant).
If you plant your Lucky Bamboo in soil, water it every 10 days or so, keeping the soil moist, but not soggy. If your plant is in a vase, change the water every week or so.
Light. Lucky bamboo thrives in indirect sunlight. Too much direct sunlight can scorch the leaves, while too little light may cause the plant to become weak and stunted.
Temperature. A tropical plant, Lucky Bamboo understandably prefers your thermostat be set somewhere between 65Ā°F and 90Ā°F. Please keep it away from drafts or cold windows during the winter.
Fertilizing. You donāt need to fertilize often. A small amount of liquid fertilizer every couple of months will suffice, but even without it, your lucky bamboo should do just fine.