Home > The Definitive Guide to Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)

A Guide to Lucky Bamboo (Which Isn't Bamboo)

Everything you always wanted to know about Lucky Bamboo... including the fact that it isn't bamboo at all. Let's dig in.
Disclaimer: Images on this page are for illustration and inspiration. They represent common houseplants and indoor garden styles, not specific homes or plant collections.

So, you've got a "Lucky Bamboo." Fun fact: it's not bamboo. This guide will tell you what it really is, how to keep it alive (and looking good), and why the number of stalks is such a big deal.

A vibrant green lucky bamboo arrangement with multiple stalks in a clear glass vase with pebbles.

The Big Bamboozle

First things first, "Lucky Bamboo" is not bamboo. It's actually Dracaena sanderiana , a type of flowering plant from the same family as asparagus. 1 You can tell by its fleshy, solid stem, completely different from the hollow, segmented stems of real bamboo. 1

Side-by-side comparison of a solid Lucky Bamboo stalk and a hollow, segmented real bamboo stalk.

And it’s not from Asia, either. This plant is native to the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa, especially countries like Cameroon. 1 It just happens to look a lot like bamboo, so it was easily adopted into Asian traditions that already valued bamboo for its strength and resilience. 6 The plant's species name, sanderiana , honors the German-English horticulturist Henry Frederick Conrad Sander. 1

What's in a Name?

This case of mistaken identity led to a bunch of other names, like Chinese Water Bamboo, Friendship Bamboo, and Ribbon Plant. 1 Its role in Feng Shui cemented its lucky status, where it's known as "Fu Gwey Zhu." That translates to Wealth (Fu), Power (Gwey), and Bamboo (Zhu). 7, 10 The name sums up its whole deal: attracting good energy (or Chi), prosperity, and harmony.

The Basics: Growing in Water

Most people grow Lucky Bamboo in a vase of water. It looks nice and seems simple, but the water is where things can go wrong. Without soil to act as a filter, the plant's roots are exposed to whatever is in the water.

Water and Light

Water quality is everything. The plant is very sensitive to chemicals in tap water, especially chlorine and fluoride, which can cause yellowing leaves and brown, burnt tips. 13, 15 It's best to use distilled water, rainwater, or filtered water. 13 If tap water is your only choice, let it sit in an open container for 24 hours first, which allows the chlorine to evaporate (but the fluoride will remain). 14

Water Warning: Avoid tap water. Chlorine and fluoride can harm your plant, causing yellow leaves and brown tips. Use distilled, filtered, or rainwater for best results.

Keep the water level just high enough to cover the roots. 15 To stop the water from getting stagnant and growing nasty bacteria, change it completely every one to four weeks. 15

Lucky Bamboo needs bright, indirect light. 6 An east-facing window with gentle morning sun is perfect, or a spot several feet from a stronger south, or west-facing window. 23 Direct sunlight will scorch the leaves, turning them yellow or brown. 1 Too little light leads to weak, stretched-out growth and pale green leaves. 22

Temperature and Housing

Since it's a tropical plant, it likes a warm, stable spot. The ideal temperature is between 65°F and 95°F (18°C and 35°C), which is pretty typical for a house. 19 Keep it away from drafts, air conditioning vents, and heaters. 24 Average home humidity is fine. 1

A clear glass vase is popular, but the light it lets in can encourage algae to grow. 15 An opaque ceramic or colored glass container is a better choice to block the light. 30 The pebbles, rocks, or marbles in the container aren't just for looks, they provide the support needed to keep the stalks standing upright. 6

Help! My Plant is Dying

The plant's leaves and stalk will tell you what's wrong. Think of yellow leaves as a "warning light" for a problem you can probably fix. A yellow stalk, however, is more like a "check engine" light, signaling a serious problem.

Yellow Leaves vs. a Yellow Stalk

A few lower leaves turning yellow and falling off is usually just the plant getting older and putting energy into new growth. 32 But if lots of leaves are yellowing, it's a sign of stress. The likely causes are too much direct sun, chemicals in your tap water, or too much fertilizer. 24 Fix the problem, and the plant should recover.

A comparison showing a lucky bamboo with some yellowing leaves, contrasted with a plant where the entire stalk is turning yellow from the bottom up.

A yellow stalk is much more serious. This usually means an advanced case of root rot or a bacterial infection is spreading through the plant. 1 Once a stalk turns yellow, it will never turn green again. 32 The only hope is to try propagation: use a clean knife to cut the stalk well above the yellow part, and place the healthy green cutting in fresh water to grow a new plant. 17

Red Alert: A yellow stalk is a sign of a serious problem like root rot. The stalk itself cannot be saved. Your best option is to cut off the healthy green top portion and propagate it to start a new plant.

Other Common Woes

Brown leaf tips are a classic sign of chemical burn, usually from the fluoride and chlorine in tap water. 6 The fix is simple: switch to distilled or rainwater. A stalk that's soft, mushy, and has a foul smell is suffering from stalk rot. 21 This requires immediate action, remove the rotting stalk at once to keep the infection from spreading to its neighbors. 17

Close-up of lucky bamboo leaves with dry, brown tips, indicating a water quality issue.

See a green film on the glass or pebbles? That's algae, caused by light hitting the water and nutrients. 30 Algae competes for nutrients and can create stagnant conditions that lead to root rot. 43 To fix it, take the plant out and scrub the container and pebbles with mild soap or salt, rinse well, and add fresh water. 30

Pests are less common on plants grown in water, but they can pop up. Look for small, white, cottony clusters (mealybugs) or fine webbing on the leaves (spider mites). 19 You can get rid of them by wiping them off with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol or washing the plant with a mild insecticidal soap.

Leveling Up: Advanced Care

If you want your Lucky Bamboo to thrive long-term, you can step up your game with fertilizing, pruning, and even moving it to soil.

Fertilizing and Pruning

Lucky Bamboo grown in water is a light feeder and rarely needs fertilizer. 20 If the plant looks pale or isn't growing, a tiny bit of fertilizer can help. Use a liquid fertilizer made for Lucky Bamboo, or a standard houseplant fertilizer diluted to one-tenth its normal strength. 19 Don't fertilize more than once every two months. 25

Over-fertilizing is a huge mistake that can burn the roots and cause yellowing. 17 If you see yellowing after feeding, change the water immediately and hold off on fertilizer for a few months.

Pruning is great for keeping your arrangement in shape and encouraging thicker growth. 47 Simply trim back any offshoots that are making the plant look leggy. These cuttings are perfect for starting new plants. Take a cutting from a healthy shoot that's at least four to six inches long and has one or two growth nodes (the raised rings on the stalk). 48

A hand holding a pruned cutting from a lucky bamboo plant, showing the growth nodes clearly.

Strip the leaves from the bottom of the cutting so they don't rot in the water. Place it in a few inches of fresh, distilled water, making sure the nodes are submerged. New reddish roots should appear in about a month. 21

Switching to Soil

Lucky Bamboo can live longer and grow more robustly in soil, as it's closer to its natural environment. 15 Use a well-draining potting mix, like one for cacti and succulents, and pick a pot with good drainage holes. 51

To move a plant from water to soil, you need to help it adjust. For the first few weeks, keep the soil consistently moist, but not soggy. 53 This helps the roots, which are used to being in water, adapt to soil. Once you see new growth, you can cut back and let the top inch of soil dry out between waterings.

Pets, Meanings, and Feng Shui

There are two other big things to know: its toxicity to pets and its symbolism. Knowing this stuff is key to being a responsible owner and appreciating the plant's cultural history.

A Warning for Pet Owners

So, is Lucky Bamboo toxic to cats and dogs? The short answer is yes. Dracaena sanderiana is mildly toxic if your pet eats it. 19 The plant contains compounds called steroidal saponins, which cause stomach problems. 55

Pet Safety Notice: Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is mildly toxic to cats and dogs if ingested. Keep the plant out of reach of pets and contact your vet if you suspect your pet has chewed on it.

Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting (sometimes with blood), drooling, diarrhea, weakness, and loss of appetite. 56 In cats, you might also notice dilated pupils. 55 If you think your pet has chewed on the plant, call your veterinarian or a pet poison control hotline right away. 60

What the Stalks Mean

In Feng Shui, the number of stalks in an arrangement is very important because each number has a specific meaning. Two stalks represent love, making it a great gift for a partner. 62 Three stalks are one of the most popular arrangements, believed to bring happiness, wealth, and longevity. 62

Five stalks are meant to boost well-being in all areas of your life. 63 Eight stalks are especially good for wealth and business, as the Chinese word for "eight" sounds like the word for "prosper." 63 On the other hand, you should always avoid an arrangement of four stalks, the word for "four" in Chinese sounds very similar to the word for "death," making it a symbol of bad luck. 7

Feng Shui Tip: Avoid arrangements with four stalks. In Chinese culture, the number four is associated with death and considered very unlucky.

The Five Elements

A truly lucky arrangement is said to represent a balance of the five Feng Shui elements. The Wood element is the stalks of the plant itself. The Water is the water it grows in. The Earth is represented by the rocks or pebbles that hold the plant up. 68

A complete lucky bamboo arrangement showing all five Feng Shui elements: wood (stalks), water, earth (pebbles), fire (red ribbon), and metal (a coin in the vase).

The Fire element is usually added by tying a red ribbon around the vase or stalks. 68 Finally, the Metal element can be a glass or metal container. If the pot is ceramic, people often add a metal coin to the water to complete the set. 68 Together, these elements are thought to create a powerful tool for attracting harmony and prosperity.

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