Lucky Bamboo Care : Buy Lucky Bamboo

Lucky Bamboo Frequently Asked Questions

Question: I received my lucky Bamboo. How do I assemble it?

1. Remove the packing materials.
2. Remove the plastic bag from the lucky bamboo and rinse.
3. Put lucky bamboo into a pot or container.
4. Add rocks for support if needed (optional).
5. Add fresh water to top of container. Water as needed.

Click here to view Step-to-Step Instructions

Make sure you do not place the lucky bamboo in direct
sunlight or else it will turn yellow and possible die.

Question: What does the number of bamboo represent?

Many believe that the number of bamboo symbolize different
things. Here are the most common beliefs:
1 stalk = good fortune
2 stalks = love
3 stalks = happiness, wealth, and longevity (also represent
PAST, PRESENT, & FUTURE).
4 stalks = stable, strong, or power.
5 stalks = wealth or fortune
6 stalks = prosperity
7 stalks = good health
8 stalks = growth or wealth
9 stalks = general good fortune
10 stalks = completeness or perfection
21 stalks = blessings

Question: How do I care for my Lucky Bamboo?

LIGHT: Lucky Bamboo will do best with moderate levels of
indirect light. Do not expose plant to direct sunlight,
such as a sunny windowsill. The direct sunlight is too strong
for the plant. Lucky Bamboo should be keep indoors.

WATER: Tap water will be fine for Lucky Bamboo. If your tap
water contains high volume of fluoride, use filtered or
distilled water. To prevent the roots from drying, always
keep the water level at least 1" high.

NUTRIENTS: Only use plant food or fertilizers made
specifically for Lucky Bamboo such as "Green Green". Lucky
bamboo do not require any nutrients or fertilizers. It can
last for years with clean water. Plant food or fertilizer
can help aid the health of Lucky Bamboo.

Question: What is Lucky Bamboo?

The plant is really a Dracaena sanderiana, not a bamboo. It
is a member of the lily family that grows in the dark,
tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia and Africa.

Chinese Legend says a gift of Lucky Bamboo can bring you
Good Luck, Prosperity, Wealth, and Happiness. It makes an
ideal gift for household, office, new ventures, or party gifts.

Question: The stem of my Lucky Bamboo is turning yellow. What do I do?

Dracaenas can have fluoride problems. Tap water may contain
fluoride that are not good for Lucky Bamboo. It can cause
brown tip or cause the Lucky Bamboo to turn yellow. Your
tap water may have too much fluoride.
1. Try using drinking water.
2. Ensure that the Lucky Bamboo is not expose to any direct
sunlight. (If you have the window blinds open or have a
ceiling sky light, the bamboo may be expose to sunlight when
the sun shift while you are at work.)
3. Make sure the plant is not located by the door during
winter. The cold draft make cause stress to the bamboo.
4. If you are using rocks to support the bamboo, try
removing the rocks. The rocks may contain chemicals that is
affecting the plant. Once you know for certain it is not
the rocks, you may add rocks back in to support the plant.
5. Change the water every 10-14 days.

Question: How can my Lucky Bamboo avoid having yellow or brown tips?

Brown tips are quite common with the Dracaenas family.
Brown tip mostly occur when the water contains too much
fluoride. Change water frequently and use filter, drinking
water, or
distilled water.

Question: Can I re-pot the lucky bamboo in soil?

Yes, Lucky Bamboo can be re-potted. Like any other
houseplant, Lucky Bamboo can be transferred to a vase or pot
2" larger than the original, or planted permanently into a
loose sand or soil mixture that provides lots of bottom
drainage. To avoid root rot, be careful to let the top of
the soil dry out between waterings. Lucky bamboo in soil
will required frequent watering than unsoiled lucky bamboo.

Question: How are Lucky Bamboo ship to ensure that it will be healthy?

To prevent the Lucky Bamboo from drying out, we keep the
roots moist by wrapping it in gel. We then use shipping
peanuts to pack the bamboo to keep it from shifting during
shipping.

Question: Should I use distilled water or tap water?

We recommending using tap water first. If the tip of the
lucky bamboo starts to turn brown, it means that the tap
water contain too much flouride. You will have to switch to
distilled water or drinking water which does not contain
flouride.

Question: Should I use rocks/pebbles or soil?

Planting lucky bamboo in soil will required more frequent
watering than unsoiled lucky bamboo. We prefer to use rocks
because it requires less maintenance.

Question: One of my lucky bamboo die, what should I do?

The best thing to do is remove any dead lucky bamboo ASAP.
Remove the bamboo and check to see if there are any bugs,
pest, worms, etc. They are normally found at the roots.
Rinse the remaining bamboo, rocks, and container. Put the
bamboo and rocks in the container and top off with fresh water.

Question: Can a frozen bamboo survive?

A frozen lucky bamboo will not survive. After it thaws, the
bamboo will feel like rubber and eventually turn soggy and die.

Question: Why does the leaf turn brown and looks dried up?

Most likely, the lucky bamboo is expose to direct sunlight. The
direct sunlight is too strong for the plant and will burn
the leaves. If your plant has burn leaves, you can trim the
brown section of the leaf with a pair of scissors or
carefully pluck the leaf.

Question: Why does the stem of my bamboo turn wrinkled?

The bamboo is dried up due to lack of water. Make sure you
keep at least 1 inch of water at all times. If the bamboo
is not too stress from the lack of water, it may recover and
the wrinkles may disappear

Question: I received the lucky bamboo 2 week before my event. Should
I assembly and pot them now or wait closer to the event?

We recommend that you keep the bamboo in large container or
large bucket of water. This way you will only have to water
the container. You may tie and arrange the bamboo and put
it in the same container or another container. A few days
prior to the event, you should start to pot the bamboos.

The reason is if you assembly it now and pot it 2
weeks in advance, you will have to water each pot separately
(You may have to water it 4 or 5 times before the event).

Question: I received the lucky bamboo a week before my event. Can I
leave it in the box or take it out?

We use shipping gel to keep the bamboo roots from drying out
during shipping. The bamboo may still survive in the gel
after a few days after you receive it. We recommend that
you rinse the gel from the bamboo ASAP and put it in a large
container or bucket of water. The water contains nutrients
that will keep the bamboo healthy. Make sure the bamboo has
at least 1 inch of water and make sure you keep the bamboo
out of direct sunlight.

Question: What is the differences between Taiwanese and Chinese Lucky
Bamboos?

Taiwanese lucky bamboo are consider premium bamboos. The roots are
usually stronger and more developed. The leaves are usually stronger
and thicker than the Chinese bamboos. Taiwanese plantations specialize
in only straight lucky bamboos. Therefore most curly and heart shape
bamboos still come from China.