Scientific Name: Dracaena sanderiana
⚠Toxicity⚠
The Lucky Bamboo is considered ☠ TOXIC ☠ to both cats and dogs
Symptoms of Lucky Bamboo poisoning include incoordination, weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, drooling and dilated pupils
It’s important to remember that any plant may cause vomiting and gastrointestinal upset in cats and dogs, and those with large leaves can be a choking hazard. If you believe that your pet is ill or may have ingested a poisonous substance contact either your local veterinarian or the APCC 24-hour emergency poison hotline at 1-888-426-4435
General Info
ℹ You may be surprised to learn that Lucky Bamboo is not bamboo at all! In fact, it’s more closely related to the Lily, and unlike bamboo, is toxic to cats and dogs
The Lucky Bamboo comes from Southeast Asia and is commonly used as a gift and a symbol of good luck and happiness, The amount of stalks indicating its recipient’s rewards
One stalk - Unity and unobstructed flow of energy
Two stalks - Good luck in love
Three stalks - Continued growth, birth, and family
Four stalks - Death; avoid this one
Five stalks - Longevity, good luck, wealth, prosperity, and happiness
Six stalks - Opportunity, luck, and wealth
Seven stalks - Health and personal growth
Eight stalks - Infinite energy and many blessings
Nine stalks - Success and gratitude
Ten stalks - Ok let’s not get carried away here, nine stalks is plenty
❓ Let me know in the comments if you have any questions regarding the Lucky Bamboo or suggestions for plants you would like me to talk about in the future
Care Instructions
🔪How to Murder
Lucky Bamboos can’t handle a lot of fertilizer, so all you gotta do is saturate that soil with a whole lot of undiluted liquid fertilizer and watch as your bamboo slowly turns yellow, shrivels, and dies.
Place the palm in direct sunlight to cook it up real nice. Watch the leaves scorch and shrivel, along with your luck and happiness, you monster
Drowning is unfortunately not an option this time because these bad boys can swim!
🌍Soil
Lucky Bamboos can live in nothing but filtered water or a high-quality potting mix that drains quickly. If you prefer to make your own mix, try a blend of 1 part potting soil, 1 part sand, and 2 parts peat moss
💦Water
Use room-temperature, filtered or “aged” water (water left in an open container for several days to remove chlorine) if possible
Consistent moisture is ideal, but to be on the safe side, let the first inch of topsoil dry in between waterings
To avoid root rot, always empty any excess water from the catch saucer under your plants
When planted in soil, make sure to mist the plant every couple of days
💩Fertilizer
Lucky Bamboos don’t need a lot of fertilizer. In fact, they are able to survive in nothing but pure water for some time. If the leaves turn yellow, you have overfertilized and should change the water/soil immediately
In spring and summer, feed a 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer, diluted to 1/10 strength every couple of months if the bamboo is in water or once a month if in soil
Do not fertilize in the winter, and if using a slow-release fertilizer, water the plant before fertilizing to avoid burning the roots
🌞Environment
Place your Lucky Bamboo in an area with medium sunlight that is indirect or filtered by a sheer curtainKeep room temperature between 65-95°F (18-35°C)
🌷Flowers
Lucky Bamboos flower in their natural, tropical environment, but sadly, they are unable to bloom indoors
👩🌾Re-potting
Lucky Bamboos like to be a little cramped, but if you see their roots looking too crowded, transfer to a larger pot or vase
Use a container that is 1 inch larger than the current one and has holes for drainage in the bottom if using soil
If using soil, pour an inch of well-draining potting mix into the new container
If using water, fill the container 1/4 of the way and finish filling after you have placed the plant in
Gently hold your sweet little plant as close to the soil line as possible, turn the pot sideways, and slowly pull the plant out
Put the plant in the new container and fill up the area around the plant, taking care not to change how high the soil line is on the plant and gently spreading the roots out
✂Pruning
The fun thing about Lucky Bamboo is that it can be easily trained by braiding the stalks or by manipulating the light source to change growth direction into a spiral!
To do this, simply place your plant inside a cardboard box with one side cut out (or any other method you find for blocking light from all but one direction) and care for it as usual
The plant will begin to lean towards the sun, at which point you will slightly rotate the plant in the opposite direction of the way you wish the spiral to goAs the spiral grows higher, make sure to prune leaves to keep the top from becoming too heavy
🌱Propagation
Begin by finding a healthy stalk with at least three segments and an offshoot. Cut that offshoot from where it connects to the parent stalk and remove the bottom leaves from the offshoot
Place the new plant in a small container of water and simply treat it as you would a full-grown plant!
