Looking for an easy houseplant that can even be grown in water system ? Or have you receive what looks like a little bamboo plant as a giving ?
Lucky bamboo is one of the most democratic houseplant worldwide , and for good reason . You ’ll have intercourse growing this undemanding species in your own rest home .
Keep reading for everything you call for to know about favorable bamboo and how to keep yours well-chosen and healthy !
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About lucky bamboo
Description
The first thing you take to know about lucky bamboo is that , despite its vulgar name , this industrial plant is n’t actually a fellow member of the bamboo subfamily ( Bambusoideae ) .
It instead belongs to the genus Dracaena , which is part of theasparagusfamily Asparagaceae . And that ’s a good thing , because actual bamboo would be challenging to grow indoors . Plus , it mother vast !
Fun fact
golden bamboo is n’t the only surprising houseplant cousin to asparagus . wanderer industrial plant , snake plants , andcast iron plantsare distantly related to the veggie , too !
It ’s easy to see where the confusedness arose . Like real bamboo , golden bamboo ( Dracaena sanderiana ) sports segment fleeceable stems and a tuft of leaf near the top . A individual radical on this shrubby plant can grow to up to 4 foot in length .
The golden bamboo you ’ll feel for cut-rate sale in your local flora computer storage commonly consists of one or multiple sections of stem . These are rout at the bottom in water or soil .
While the tops are flat at first where the cut was made , the stem turn will speedily sprout new “ head word ” and continue develop , form a newfangled plant . Sometimes , a self-aggrandising fragrance of prosperous bamboo shank is tied together in a giving arrangement .
How is lucky bamboo curled?
The spiraled golden bamboo stems you ’ll see for sale did n’t come about naturally . Instead , growers habituate an ingenious method based on the fact that plants will by nature raise towards the brightest light source .
They put the stems on their sides and then gradually rotate them to manipulate their growth direction , allowing them to create curls , braids , and distorted arrangements .
It looks great , but remember you ’ll have to keep twist the root word yourself after purchase , since new growth wo n’t curl up by itself .
Did you know?
Lucky bamboo ( Dracaena sanderiana ) is often confused with another , interchangeable species called Dracaena braunii . Even some sales listings get it amiss , and a few scientific database list the two as synonyms when they ’re actually separate species ! Unlike D. sanderiana , D. braunii is n’t all that unremarkably seen in horticulture .
Natural habitat
Although the “ bamboo ” name and the fact that it ’s extensively grow in China seem to suggest that this is where this species is from , favorable bamboo is really by nature found in Central Africa .
In countries like Angola , Cameroon , and Congo , Dracaena sanderiana can be found growing wild in what is call the wet tropical biome — basically rainforests . Here , the species form part of the undergrowth .
I from time to time see golden bamboo sell for habit as an aquarium flora . It seem quite nice in fish army tank , but alas , it ’s not made to be amply submerged for extensive periods of time . Eventually , the plants always rot , which can cause water quality return .
History
Dracaena sanderiana was first discovered by Western botanists during an expedition by Johannes M. Braun in Cameroon , which was then a German settlement . He collected various Dracaena specimen , including one that would later be discover after him ( the said Dracaena braunii , which is often confused with lucky bamboo ) .
Wernher Magnus Maximilian von Braun sold some slip of one species to Henry Frederick Conrad Sander , a renowned German botanist living in England . These were the plants that would later become known as Dracaena sanderiana ( or unfeigned lucky bamboo ) . They ’ve been a staple in gardening ever since , particularly in China .
Cultural significance
The reason that golden bamboo became so popular in China in particular is believably because bamboo itself has been a symbolisation of sexual morality and traditional Chinese values for thousands of years ( much like another favorite houseplant , Pachira aquatica — also known as the money tree ) .
Since bamboo is difficult to grow indoors and the climate in much of the nation is actually perfect for Dracaena , it ’s not a surprise that lucky bamboo became the go - to replacement !
Lucky bamboo is a symbol in Feng Shui , represent wood with its stem and fire with the flushed laurel wreath that often ties arrangements together . to boot , different quantity of stalks in an arrangement carry dissimilar meanings . According to most sources , it go a little like this :
You wo n’t see Chinese folk gifting arrangements of four stems : the identification number is considered an Muscat and Oman of bad circumstances , as its pronunciation is similar to the Cantonese word for “ expiry . ” Lucky bamboo sells particularly well around Chinese New Year ( Lunar New Year ) , which typically takes shoes in previous January or early February .
Shipments of golden bamboo from China to the houseplant export hub of The Netherlands have been affiliate with the accidental introduction of invasive mosquito species in northern Europe .
This can be a problem , because Asiatic tiger mosquito and Asian bush mosquito are potential carriers of diseases like West Nile virus and dengue fever . I hope nursery are aware of this peril , because invasive disease - carry mosquitoes are a produce problem in the US as well .
Lucky bamboo varieties
As with most houseplants , selective breeding and spontaneous mutations have lead to a match of dissimilar miscellanea of favorable bamboo . Originally , there was a immature interlingual rendition and a single variegated one .
Now , you may add up across a few different variegation styles , like :
The most striking difference in lucky bamboo plant are n’t the different types of variegation , though . It ’s all in how an arrangement is presented !
you may get a single kink prow , straight angry walk , braided sets , distorted groups , pyramid shapes , Christmas tree - like towers and even inwardness . Some will be maturate in grunge , but most are maintained in weewee .
Where to corrupt lucky bamboo plants :
Caring for lucky bamboo
Light and temperature
As hash out , lucky bamboo is n’t a very demanding houseplant at all . In terms of light , because it of course make part of the rainforest undergrowth , it does n’t need much and is a large choice if you ’re looking for atruly low-spirited - Inner Light houseplant .
promising indirect light , like close to a north - facing windowsill , is perfectly fine . Artificial visible radiation work as well .
In terms of temperature , the species is a bit more specific . It does n’t mind acute rut as long as it ’s not being scorched by the sun , but it does n’t reply quite as well to cold .
Yours will probably commence to clamber if temperatures send away below 50 ° F . Frost will kill it outright so it ’s not a plant life to leave out of doors in cold regions . As a rule of ovolo , if you feel comfortable in your home , then your lucky bamboo likely does as well .
Water and humidity
If you ’re grow your favorable bamboo in water , then this section patently does n’t apply . you may head to my article ongrowing houseplant in waterinstead if you ’d like to get a line more about how to keep your works felicitous in the long run .
If your plant life is in soil , then do n’t concern either . dracaena are known for being quite forgiving when it comes to soil wet ! They do n’t tend to be the quickest growers and their fleshy stems store weewee well , so it ’s usually best to take it comparatively soft with the lachrymation can .
I tend to rent my Dracaenas dry out about halfway before watering again during the alive summer growing month .
In winter , when plants utilise much less water system , I forget them alone even longer . Sometimes I do n’t irrigate for up to a calendar month !
Despite being a tropical rain forest plant that naturally grows in orbit where the humidity will consistently be at 90 percent or up , lucky bamboo is n’t actually all too fussy about line moisture . Unless your home is very ironical ( systematically under 30 to 40 percentage ) , there ’s no motivation to pay extra tending to it in this department .
Soil and planting
Again , if you ’re originate your favorable bamboo in water , you could feel free to skip this subdivision . Can you see why I jazz ground - less grow methods ? So much less to keep in brain for your plant ’s wellness .
If you ’re growing in soil , commend that drainage is an authoritative agent for houseplants like Dracaena . They do n’t like sloshed pes , and a stain type that keep back water for too long can lead to tooth root rotting or even mortal stem rot in the long run !
Luckily , creating a introductory filth mix that allows excess body of water to break away is not unmanageable or expensive . All you ask is a quality houseplantpotting soiland someperlite . Mix 1 part perlite with 2 parts soil and you ’ve got a everlasting lucky bamboo planting medium .
In terms of planters , you could feel free to go with whatever type you like , though keep in mind that terracotta dries a piece ready than charge card . Just check that any planter you employ has a drain hole in the bottom .
Recommended products for favourable bamboo charge :
Fertilizing
Although lucky bamboo does n’t want much to thrive , it will apprize some plant food from clock time to time to forestall yellowing leaves and slow growth .
For plants raise in water , you could purchase special hydroponic lucky bamboo plant fertilizers . Use these according to the instructions on the nursing bottle .
For Dracaenas develop in soil , any regular liquid houseplant fertilizer should operate well . How often you should fertilize depends on factors like light storey and season ; in brilliant abstemious environments in summer , you may do so up to once a month .
If your prosperous bamboo is in a sinister daub in the rest home , fertilizing only once or twice a twelvemonth is plausibly best . Stop using plant food in wintertime , as the minify light levels and lower temperature mean most houseplant end growing almost entirely until it warm back up .
Recommended fertilizer for lucky bamboo :
Pruning
Like most houseplant , a lucky bamboo plant wo n’t really involve to be pruned . you’re able to off utter leaves and also choose to trim back any offshoots that you do n’t like the look of , but more than that wo n’t be necessary .
Dividing or repotting
If you ’re maturate in grime and have a larger lucky bamboo arrangement that ’s starting to outgrow its current container , you could see burst it up in club to repot each stalk separately .
I like to keep the set together and just endue in a larger planter instead , though , since it just makes for a nice look than solo stems .
Propagating lucky bamboo
As mentioned , lucky bamboo is multiply by nurseries almost only through the stem propagation method . root are chop into segment and seal with some wax to prevent fungal growth . Then the bottom is root while the top re - sprouts and voilà !
Sounds well-to-do , right ? That ’s because it is ! you’re able to easily diffuse favourable bamboo at home — for lesson , if one of the stalks on yours has produce a piece too long for your liking or you just need more works .
The method acting is just like the one used at nurseries :
That ’s it , there ’s nothing more to it ! It can take a while , but the press clipping will farm its own root system and acquire Modern leaf sprouts . The success rate for lucky bamboo film editing is pretty high-pitched , so even a beginning houseplant partizan can do this .
Is lucky bamboo toxic to cats and dogs?
Lucky bamboo and other Dracaena species are weigh gently toxic to cats and dogs due to their saponin message . They can get drooling , vomiting and a lack of appetite . If you think your furry friend has taken a bite , call your vet to ask whether they think you should take the fauna in . Interestingly , these plants are not toxic to humans , so they ’re safe around children .
informant :
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:60471006-2
The Gardeners ’ chronicle : a hebdomadary illustrate journal of gardening and ally subject area , ser.3 : v.13 : 445 ( 1893 ) , f. 65
Damen , T. H. , Van der Burg , W. J. , Wiland - Szymańska , J. , & Sosef , M. S. M. ( 2018 ) . Taxonomic gaud in African Dracaena ( Dracaenaceae).Blumea - Biodiversity , Evolution and Biogeography of Plants,63(1 ) , 31 - 53 .
Foster , A. ( 2007 ) . Roots of variety : Growing culturally significant works in the schoolroom . Green Teacher , ( 81 ) , 24 .
Ibáñez - Justicia , A. , Koenraadt , C. J. , Stroo , A. , Van Lammeren , R. , & Takken , W. ( 2020 ) . Risk - free-base and adaptive trespassing mosquito surveillance at prosperous bamboo and used tyre importer in the Netherlands . Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association,36(2 ) , 89 - 98 .
