The first thing to know about Lucky Bamboo is that it’s not Bamboo! A member of the Asparagaceae, Lucky Bamboo, or dracaena sanderiana, is an incredibly easy plant to care for. You may see Lucky Bamboo marketed as a gift, and that’s partly due to the belief that Lucky Bamboo is factors into proper Feng Shui, and is extra lucky if it’s received as a gift. It’s also a great gift because of the wide range of places Lucky Bamboo can happily live in. Lucky Bamboo likes to live in bright, indirect light, but will get a sunburn if it gets too much light. It’s also tolerant of low light and a wide range of temperatures (65 to 95 Fahrenheit), and so will do quite well on a desk or a shelf. Lucky Bamboo will tell you if it needs more light by “stretching” as it grows, much like a leggy succulent or herb. Lucky Bamboo is not pet safe, so make sure you keep it away from furry friends (it’s also mildly toxic to humans, so keep it out of reach of little human hands too!).
Lucky Bamboo can grow to be around 3 feet in height in optimal conditions. As one might infer due to its family name, Lucky Bamboo resembles asparagus in appearance – it has a thick stalk and grows light but bushy leaves near the top of that stalk. Like most houseplants, it’s not likely to bloom as a houseplant, but when Lucky Bamboo does bloom, its white flowers have a spidery and delicate shape. One thing that sets Lucky Bamboo apart from most houseplants is the fact that it does not need soil. In fact, it prefers living in water in a simple vase with some pebbles at the bottom for support. Keep at least an inch of water in the bottom of the vessel, and change that water one a week. When you water, make sure to let the water sit out for a few days in order to let the chlorine evaporate as Lucky Bamboo is very sensitive to our chlorinated water. You can also use distilled water, or boiled water that has cooled.
You’ll know your lucky bamboo is happy when you see red roots growing near the bottom of the stalk. Lucky Bamboo will grow towards light, so rotate it often if you want a straighter stalk, or get creative and use that reach to help the plant grow in fun shapes. Lucky Bamboo is a great plant for beginners, especially those just starting out since there’s little chance for error when it comes to watering.